Masters of Love and War (or Phoenix Rising)
by The Hark-ness monster
Summary: Life, love, betrayal. The tragically beautiful life of Darth Revan and Malak. "The darkness convinced me that without you I could be stronger. But only after you were gone did I realize that I am nothing without you." Fem!Revan/Malak
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A Jedi Now

Reva-8

Alek-10

Reva stood next to Kreia, her head down, staring at her shoes. Or what she could see of them anyway. They were completely covered, except for the tips, by trousers that were about two sizes too big for the eight year old and she swam in a brown leather jacket. These enormous clothes had been given to her by the woman who had found her and taken her here. The one she stood next to in the council room of the jedi enclave.

"I found this young child while on Dalos IV," Kreia explained. "She's an orphan. She was filthy and struggling to survive. She is highly force sensitive and I had hoped that I might take her in as my apprentice."

The old, mysterious woman hadn't told her much. Just that she could help her start a new life. She seemed nice enough so Reva want along. Then she spoke of training her to become a Jedi knight. Reva wasn't entirely sure what that was but as long as it gave her purpose, she didn't care.

"Hmmm. Reva." She looked up at the grey-haired man who had spoken her name. "Could you step out for a moment, please? We must speak with master Kreia alone."

The young girl simply nodded, flipping her short brown hair, turned and stepped out into the hall. The door closed behind her.

Walking down the hallway, her head spun with questions. What if those people said she couldn't stay here? Would she have to go back to Dalos IV and continue with her life as a beggar and scavenger? But what if she did stay? What did it mean to be a jedi knight?

"What's your name?" She looked up. She was standing in the courtyard, beside her was a boy slightly older than she with two blue striped tattooed on his bald scalp. He was smiling at her.

"Me?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yeah. I haven't seen you here before."

"Oh. My name's Reva."

"Nice to meet you. You got a last name?" he asked her.

"No," was her short reply.

"Oh. Yeah, I didn't either until I came here."

"So what is your name?" she wondered.

"Alek Squinquargesimus," he smiled and extended his hand. Reva just stared at it, confused. She had never shaken anyone's hand before.

"Squinquargesimus?" she repeated and raised an eyebrow.

He lowered his hand, realizing she wasn't planning on shaking it. "Yeah, it was the name of my village back on my home world and the republic said that when I immigrated I needed a last name so, Squinquargesimus it is." Reva didn't speak. Clearly she was shy and most likely intimidated by his abnormally long last name so he offered a compromise. "I'll tell you what; you can just call me Squint for now."

This sparked a smile on Reva's face. "Ok, Alek Squint."

The boy laughed. "It has a ring to it doesn't it?" He lifted himself up onto the wall that surrounded a tree in the center of the courtyard. "So where are you from Reva?"

"I don't really know?" He grabbed her hands and pulled her up to the top of the wall to sit next to him.

"I was too young to remember my home world and my parents never told me where I was from. When we went to Dalos IV, they said to forget the past. I was only five when they died. We had only been there about a year and I was forced to beg and scavenge for food until that woman picked me up and told me I was going to become a jedi."

"Wow. You're lucky she found you. That's quite a story."

There was a pause. "Squint, what is a jedi?"

"You-you don't know what a jedi is?" Reva shook her head no.

"Wow. The jedi are warriors that are sensitive to a power called the force. It gives them special abilities."

"Are you a jedi, Squint?"

"Of course! All of us here are. And soon you will be too."

"They will feed me here right, Squint? I won't have to beg anymore?"

Alek laughed almost out of pity for the young girl. "Absolutely. And they'll give you a place to stay…and clothes that fit," he said observing the baggy clothes Kreia had given her. "You're one of us now. You're a jedi. You'll never be alone again."

The idea of a jedi was beginning to sound pretty good to Reva. She could barely believe it was true. Not even in her wildest dreams could she image a miracle like this. She had been alone for most of her life. Now she was a jedi and she already had a new friend.

Kreia approached them and Alek jumped down. "Master Kreia," he said, bowing his head.

She simply nodded at him and then turned to Reva.

"The council has agreed to let me train you. You shall live here at the enclave while you study the force and uncover its secrets. Come. I will take you to your room." Kreia grabbed her arm and pulled her away from Alek. Reva quickly looked back at him. He was smiling and waving.

"See you later, Reva!" he called.

* * *

The youngling dormitories were in a square building not far from the enclave. It had two stories, one for boys, the other for girls. The door opened up to a lobby with several benches and exotic plants. A few younglings were sitting, reading, talking.

Kreia guided Reva to a wide door to the right. The first floor was for the youngling girls. They passed many doors before they reached Reva's. Kreia opened it. Inside were three beds, three footlockers and a computer counsel in the corner. Two girls, about Reva's age were sitting on the first bed. One was a Togruta the other was human with black hair pulled back by a headband. They looked up when Kreia entered.

"Good afternoon master Kreia," the Togruta said. "Is it almost time for supper?"

"Yes, we will page the rooms when it is ready. Girls, this is your new roommate, Reva." They both smiled at her. "Reva, this is Chaan," the dark haired one said hello. "And this is Warra," the Togruta waved.

"Well, come on in Reva. Your bed is the one closest to the wall," said Warra.

Reva stepped cautiously inside and approached her bed.

"Your locker is the one at the foot of your bunk. It contains a few pairs of clothes that might fit you better. The bathroom is in the middle of the hall, should you need it. If you have any questions, you can ask your roommates or send me or any of the masters a message on your computer console. I will be back at eight tomorrow morning to start your training," Kreia said in a flat voice. And with that, she left closing the door behind her.

The two girls turned to Reva and smiled.

"It's nice to meet you, Reva," Warra said. "Come sit with us." Reva did as she was told, putting down her small pack of belongings and joining them.

"So you're new here?" Chaan asked. Reva just nodded. "Where are you from?"

"Dalos IV, but I wasn't born there."

"Hmm. Never heard of it. Is it nice there?" Warra questioned.

"No."

The alien laughed at Reva's curt reply. "So how old are you?"

"Eight."

"Cool. So is Chaan. But I'm nine, almost ten," she gloated.

Just then, the computer console beeped thrice. "That's dinner!" Chaan exclaimed jumping off the bed and dashing out the door.

Warra laughed. "I guess she's hungry," she joked. "Come on, Reva." The alien girl stood and began to follow Chaan out. "I'll show you to the cafeteria."

The cafeteria was on the basement floor. It was grey but well lit and foliage gave it a slight spark of life. Reva looked around at all the new, unfamiliar faces, but among the sea of unfamiliarity, stood Squint. He noticed her, smiled and approached.

"Reva, come sit with me!" He grabbed her hand and led her to an empty table in the corner of the room.

Reva looked back at her roommates who hadn't even seemed to notice she was gone. They spotted some friends, waved, and ran off. Reva turned back to Alek.

"So, were those your roommates?" Alek asked her.

"Yeah. Where are yours? Don't you sit with your friends?"

"I am. You're my friend aren't you?"

"Yeah, but…"

"I know what you mean. I sit with them sometimes, but I have a feeling they don't like me very much so I usually just sit by myself."

"Oh. Well, you'll never sit by yourself again now that I'm here.

He smiled at her showing off his gleaming white teeth. "Thanks, Reva."

They sat and talked for the better part of the thirty minutes they had to eat, but soon enough it was time to head back to the dormitories for the night.

"Come on, Squint! I want you to meet someone!" Reva squealed as she pulled the older boy through the corridors by his hand.

When they reached Reva's room, she opened the door and stepped inside. Her roommates had not yet returned from supper and the room was empty. She released Alek's hand and raced to the foot of her bed. When he did not follow, she looked back, confused.

"We're not allowed inside girl's rooms," he explained.

"Oh," Reva replied. She turned back to the tattered bag on the floor where she had left it and yanked it open. She pulled out a small, dirty, plush Ithorian and walked back over to Alek cradling the little doll in her arms. "This is Mr. Stuffy." She handed him the toy.

Alek laughed. "Well it's nice to meet you, Mr. Stuffy." He shook the Ithorian's tiny hand and handed it back to Reva.

"You two are going to be good friends. I can tell."

"Ok, well, I have to go back to my room not. It's almost curfew." Just then, Warra and Chaan showed up.

"Oh, hi Alek," Warra said pushing past him to get to her bed. Chaan followed suit, in the same aloof manor.

"Bye, Squint." Reva embraced him in a hug.

"Night, Reva." He patted her head. "And goodnight, Mr. Stuffy." Reva made her small friend wave, then Alek turned and walked off. The door closed.

Reva made her way back to her bed and laid down, clutching Mr. Stuffy close to her chest as she thought about the new life she was making for herself here at the enclave.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A Warriors Weapon

Reva-10

Alek-12

Reva bounced happily along, a shiny new object in her hands. Clutching it gently, she tapped on the door to Alek's room, which he opened moments later.

"Squint, look!" she said, shoving her new toy in his face.

"Wow! Is this really_ your_ lightsaber?" He asked. It was a rather stupid question. What else would it have been? But Reva only smiled and nodded.

"Yeah! I just made it! Isn't it great?"

"Umm…yes! It's only what all of us younglings look forward to! So what's your title?" He asked. All the jedi were given a specific role in the order. Their received this title the same time they receive their lightsaber. It also determined the color of the blade.

"Sentinel," she answered. "So it has a yellow blade."

"Wow, this is so cool!" Alek exclaimed.

"Hey! Why don't you come with me out to the courtyard to give it a test run?"

"Really? Yeah! Let's go!" He quickly turned back to his roommates who were staring at Reva with skeptical looks. "I'll be back later guys. We can finish our game then." Pazzak cards were laid out across the bed the two boys were sitting on. They exchanged a glance, but before they could say anything, Alek had closed the door behind him.

* * *

The blade buzzed and hummed as it cut through the air. The two kids stared in awe of the yellow glow.

"I can't believe you're a real jedi now. You've only been here three years. I've been here almost six and you still beat me to padawan," he told Reva as she swung her lightsaber, demonstrating various techniques and forms.

"Don't worry, Squint. I'm sure you're really close to moving up."

"Yeah, I hope so…You know, you're the first one in any of our lessons to become a padawan," he pointed out as he observed her from his perch atop the wall around the courtyard. "How did you do it?"

She shrugged and completed some kind of fancy flourish with a flick of the wrist. "I guess it just comes naturally."

Alek chuckled. "Well of course it does. It comes naturally to all of us Reva. But how were you able to complete your training in almost half the time?"

"Well, Master Lamar did say my skills were astonishing, but the council occasionally sees students who seem to have accelerated learning ability." And it clearly showed in her, that statement coming from a ten year old.

Reva switched off the blade and gazed at the hilt curiously. "Ya know, I heard some of the masters talking about a hidden crystal cave somewhere out on the plains. They said some of the crystals found there could potentially give a lightsaber an advantage over others." She turned to her friend with a sly smile. "Being the two best students in our class, I say we have a good chance of finding it."

* * *

"So, if no master has ever found this cave, what makes you think we could?" Alek asked Reva as they wandered far from the enclave in the grassy plains.

"I never said a master hadn't found it, just that no padawan ever has."

"Still. How do we have an advantage?" Alek was still skeptical of their abilities.

"Because I think master Kreia wanted me to."

Alek stopped and Reva did too when she realized she wasn't being followed. "Wait, what?" he asked, confused.

"She taught me to _see _the force," she said mysteriously. "Well, she s_tarted _teaching me anyway. It's called force sight and it allows me to physically see where the force is strong. She said it was a rare technique she had learned and that I was the first padawan she'd ever taught it to. This can help me see where the cave is…or at least the direction we should go. I just…" she sat amongst the tall grass, legs crossed, eyes closed. "Need to focus." She took a deep breath in and released it slowly. Alek observed from a distance.

She closed her eyes tighter, tighter and after about a minute of intense concentration, she spoke. "Umm…I think I feel something coming from that way." She pointed to her left, further across the plains. "I can barely see it but I think it's close." She opened her eyes, stood and grabbed Alek's arm. "Come on!"

* * *

Alek stared at a sloping wall of dirt; the face of a shallow plateau just like any other he'd seen here on Dantooine.

"Reva, I think we've hit a dead end," he said somewhat sarcastically. It was clear there was no cave in this dense pile of mud.

Alek turned to head back. "No." Reva stopped him. "That's what they want us to think."

"Reva! This isn't some kind of mystery we have to solve. There is obviously _not_ a cave in this wall. Now let's go."

She closed her eyes, ignoring his comment and waved a hand through the air before the wall. With a grunt and a powerful but effortless force push, the dirt that was once before them flew deep into a hallow tunnel.

Alek's jaw dropped. Time and again he underestimated her and time and again she proved him wrong. He was beginning to see why she was the best.

She turned to him with a cocky smile. "I told you so."

"They ventured down the dark tunnel. Drip…drip…drip…they heard somewhere in the distance. A veil of mist floated across their feet. It became increasingly cold as they went forth; cold with the power of the force. This was the cave no doubt. Energy prickled their skin and sent shivers through their bones. Reva ignited her lightsaber, granting them a little more light, relieving their eyes slightly as they crept along.

But the sound of the humming blade woke something in the darkness. They heard if shift, and then silence…Reva sensed it a fraction of a second before it pounced.

"Kinrath!" Alek yelled.

Reva instinctively swung her blade at the green, spider like beast. Miraculously, she hit it, but not lethally. Alek drew a vibroblade and lopped off one of its limbs. Then, with a smooth stroke of Reva's lightsaber, the head of the creature toppled to the floor with a thud.

The two younglings sighed. A brief but unexpected battle.

"The cave was closed in," Alek huffed, gesturing at the creature's corpse. "How did it get in here?"

Reva looked around, feeling a presence in the air. "Well, whatever the answer is…I don't think we're gonna like it."

From that point on, they proceeded with extreme caution. Practically tip-toeing, barely breathing.

They crept along, sneaking their way through the agonizingly long, winding tunnel. At last, the scene before them began to change. Instead of endless dirt and darkness ahead, they saw a faint glow, a light bluish tint with a touch of green.

"Alek, do you see that?" Reva asked, doubting what she saw.

"What? That light?"

"Yeah."

He nodded. "I sure do. You think those are our crystals?"

"Well, I don't know what else it would be."

"I have a feeling that if they're not, we're gonna be in trouble."

Reva laughed, barely hearing what he'd said over her excitement.

They turned the bend and sure enough, a spectacle of glowing gemstones lay before them. Blue, yellow, green and purple crystals sat patiently, tucked away in the crevices of the hallowed out cave, waiting to be claimed by those skilled, talented, or lucky enough to stumble upon their hidden resting place.

The jedi glanced at each other, excitement spilling out from their anxious grins. They pounced on the radiant clusters and laughed cheerfully, their voices mingling as they echoed through the caverns.

They hacked and sawed off a little piece of each crystal storing their treasures in a leather bag each of them bore on their shoulders. But as they chiseled away, they were too absorbed in their work to realize the crystals were not alone in their solitude. A kinrath began to creep out of the shadows, and before either of them knew it, it pounced for Reva.

"Rev!" Alek exclaimed, but in the time it took that syllable to leave his lips, he had drawn his vibroblade and leapt for the monster. Reva crumpled, throwing her arms over her head in self defense. Alek used the force to propel himself as his feet left the ground and he catapulted over his cringing friend, stabbing the beast in midair. He landed gracefully on his feet; however, the same could not be said for the beast. It toppled to the dirt floor with a thud, Alek's vibroblade protruding from its chest.

Reva whimpered as she uncurled from her defensive pose. Alek sighed.

But they weren't out of the woods yet. Gurgling, hissing sounds crawled out of the darkness. Alek retrieved his vibroblade just in time before they charged; about half a nest of Kinrath. The jedi braced themselves. Instinctively, without communicating, they fell into a back-to-back defensive form fighting the creatures that came at them from all directions.

Reva's blade hacked off a limb of one of the beasts while Alek ran one through. A glowing sword swiped, a buzzing blade swung.

The kinrath began to fall, screeching in pain with their last breath. And although they were clearly more than outmatched, the kinrath refused to go down without a fight. And they made sure to leave their mark. As Reva raised her blade high above her head to deliver the final blow to one of the creatures, it struck her hard in the stomach, filling her veins with poison. She shrieked, doubled over and fell to the ground as the poison spread through her body, weakening every muscle.

"Reva!" Alek screamed as he watched his friend collapse. Anger, fear, aggression filled his thoughts, controlling his actions. He let out an angry scream at the three beasts before him and raised his hands, palm open. The vibroblade clattered to the ground.

Blue strings of electricity flew at the monsters, sending them flying backwards as pure energy hit them. Alek was amazed at the spectacle emanating from his fingertips. It was instinct that had drawn his hands outward, instinct that had called upon the force, instinct that had conjured the blue storm. He stared in fearful awe at his shaking palms, lingering threads of lightning jumping from finger to finger.

Then, he heard one of them behind him. The one that had struck down his friend. His fear and amazement were replaced as fury returned. He spun around the face his enemy. He leapt for the beast and his fingers closed around its long scrawny neck. He brought the kinrath with him as gravity pulled him down. Alek's hands squeezed the green creature's throat harder, harder, as it squirmed and twitched, trying to shake its attacker, but its pathetic spasms only made Alek more furious. As the creatures flailing slowed, due to its lack of oxygen, Alek released his victim only to deliver the final hit, a crushing blow to the head. His foot shattered the kinrath's skull as he brought it down upon its tiny green head.

The beast's movement ceased as its life faded and Alek turned to tend to his friend.

"Reva," he said falling to his knees at her side. Her eyes were dull and hazy as they rolled around wildly in her head. She whimpered softly. Her skin was the color of ash and beads of sweat glistened on her brow.

"Sith's blood," he swore and quickly scooped the frail Reva into his arms. Using the force to quicken his step, he raced back to the enclave to save the life of his dearest friend.

* * *

"Help me! Please help!" Alek rushed into the enclave's infirmary, Reva limp in his arms.

"What is it? What happened?" The nurse asked, clearly alarmed by the desperate young boy.

"Can you treat poison?" he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Yes, of course. Bring here over here."

Luckily, the infirmary was empty so they nurse could treat Reva on the first bed and give immediate attention. Alek gently laid her down. The nurse felt Reva's forehead. It was warm and damp.

"Force, what happened here?" She jumped up and began to prepare a syringe.

"Kinrath, can you heal her?"

"Sure. She'll be just fine. It was just the look on your face that scared me…who is she?" she asked. It was clear the girl was important to him.

"She's my best friend. Practically the only one I've got at this academy." He gazed at the pale, helpless Reva lying on the bed.

"Ahh." The nurse returned to the bedside with the antidote and jabbed it into the girl's thigh.

Reva screamed and writhed in pain. The drastic change in behavior was so sudden, it caused Alek's heart to skip at beat and he jumped.

"It's all right. The antidote burns going in but it works quickly. She'll be better than ever by tomorrow."

The sickly girl groaned and her eyes fluttered open. Their color had already started to return.

"Alek," she whimpered, recognizing her friend.

"Hey," he said to her laying a comforting hand on the side of her face. "Don't worry. I got you to the infirmary on time. You're going to be ok."

Her eyes fell closed and her muscles relaxed once again.

The nurse stood and stripped her hands of its protective gloves. "She'll have to stay here and recover overnight. Kinrath poison usually isn't enough to kill you, but it definitely leaves you weak and vulnerable. You can come tomorrow morning if you'd like. I expect to release her sometime around then."

Alek stood, a grateful smile on his face.

"You can expect to see me first thing, ma'am. Thank you." He bowed respectfully.

"My pleasure, young one."

Alek took one last glance at Reva before he turned to leave and as he headed out of the infirmary, his thoughts returned to the cave and its contents.

Thankfully, he had taken Reva's pack so the nurse had no chance of discovering what they had been doing. Their mission for the crystals, he thought, was one best kept to themselves. If everyone were to know of the crystals, their lightsabers would no longer be unique.

_Force! _ He thought. He hadn't given it a second though to close up the cave…but it was so far out on the plains that it probably didn't matter anyway. No one was likely to ever find the cave again. He brushed that thought aside and all that remained were blurred memories of his anger. _Was that…the dark side?_ He asked himself, remembering the fury and the form it had taken; the lightning.

This was another reason for him to not speak of this to anyone.

* * *

The nurse of the enclave infirmary watched the young jedi leave his companion behind, and as he walked away she remembered the look on the frightened boys face. _Help me! Pease help!_ She had seen it many times; a padawan concerned for a comrade's wellbeing, but never had she witnessed such a bond as the one between these two.

She was not a jedi herself, but she had been around them long enough to know that such strong attachment was…discouraged. She wrestled with her conscience as she tried to decide whether or not to tell the masters of the bond she had seen between these two young jedi. Surely they would want to know, if only to monitor their relationship. But for now, she dismissed the consequences of her little secret. She thought herself only paranoid. _It's probably nothing anyway…_

* * *

"The nurse was very surprised when you didn't come to the infirmary this morning. Where were you?" Reva said to Alek when she found in alone in the enclave library.

Alek was distant. His thoughts were elsewhere…or at least trying to be. He sat with his back turned to her, facing the wall, staring at a data pad.

"Alek." Reva walked around to the other side of the table so she could see his face. It was fixed in a frown and he still would not look at her. "Hellooo…what's wrong with you today?"

He sighed and pushed the data pad aside. "My roommates talked to me last night about you while you were recovering." His eyes met hers as he looked up sheepishly. "They said you were…dangerous…to be around. They said you were too powerful and that we were too close."

Reva swallowed and shifted awkwardly. _How dare they._ She thought. "Well what do they know? They aren't the masters."

Alek nodded slightly. "They told me that you would only lead me to the dark side and that we should…distance ourselves."

"Alek! You don't really believe them do you? They're just jealous because we spend so much time together! This is ridiculous!"

"I know, I know," he said quietly trying to calm her down. "But they also said that I don't have to listen to them and that they're just trying to look out for me. This was the only part of their argument I actually believed. I don't have to listen to them, Reva. And I won't. I think they're wrong." He reached out and laid a gentle hand on hers. She peered up at him with tearful eyes and a slight smile.

"Really?" She muttered.

"Really. You didn't think they could tear us apart that easily did you?"

She shook her head and her smile widened. "No."

"You see." He grinned. "Together we are strong. We have to stay that way or this life will destroy us. We can't let anyone tell us different." He squeezed her hand and she squeezed his back. His determined eyes and comforting smile fought back her tears until there were none left to speak of.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tainted

Reva-13

Alek-15

"Hello?" Alek stepped cautiously into the enclave library. Master Dorak had called him there personally. He could only assume it was a private matter, otherwise he would have just been summoned to the council chamber.

Dorak appeared from behind a shelf of holobooks. "Ahh, padawan Alek. Good to see you, young one. How goes your training?"

Alek bowed. "Well enough, I suppose. Though sometimes I feel like I'm just doing the same stuff over and over again. I don't feel like I'm progressing."

"Well I'm sure you'll be glad to hear the assignment I have for you then. The task at hand is a survival exercise. If you believe you are ready, you will be sent out onto the plains, a good distance from the enclave with nothing but your lightsaber and the clothes on your back for three days." He paused. "Do you understand the point of this lesson?" If Alek was ready, he would know the answer without needing to be told.

"To meditate and have an opportunity to explore the force myself without guidance." He answered confidently, correctly assuming that now was not the time for second guesses.

The master smiled. "Yes, very good. This will teach you to teach yourself and to help you learn how to survive on the force and very little else should the need arise. I believe you are ready. Do you, young one?"

Alek thought about it for a moment. He found no reason to say no. "I do, master." He bowed slightly, mostly out of habit.

"Very well," Dorak said. "Your lesson begins now."

* * *

Reva walked through the courtyard, and the dormitories, and the landing platform. It was almost midday and she hadn't seen Alek at all. He hadn't shown up for their first two lessons and she had searched the entire enclave. _Where could he be?_

On her way to lunch she ran into master Vandar. "Master, have you seen Alek today?"

The small, green jedi looked up at the girl and said; "Master Dorak has sent Alek on a special training mission. He won't be back for about three days."

"Three days?" Reva's heart sank. Vandar nodded. "Oh…" was all she could say.  
"Yes, well, good day, young one." He nodded and walked off.

"…good day."

Reva continued to the cafeteria but it almost felt as though she were wandering without any real destination.

When she got her food she sat alone, occasionally looking over to where her roommates sat. Their table was full. And so was everyone else's it seemed, except hers.

Reva's table defined a new kind of empty. She glanced around, shifted slightly and poked at her food. Never had the air felt so awkward, so lonely. For five years she had never been alone. The atmosphere around her was always filled with him. His presence, his laughter, his smile…

Reva shivered…_It's colder without him. _

She was beginning to think she wasn't going to survive these next three days.

* * *

The sun dipped below the horizon and night was falling across the plains of Dantooine. Alek walked with a spring in his step. The fifteen year old was delighted with the challenge that he had been assigned. With no one else around, he finally felt superior, as if master Dorak had sent him here simply because he was the best. And there was also the absence of his rival, Reva. He loved Reva dearly, she was his closest friend, but she made him feel pathetic sometimes like he would never be able to reach her level. She would always be one step ahead. But not today. Today he was free. Today he had nothing to hold him down. Finally he could set his own agenda. Do _what_ he wanted, _when_ he wanted…though of course out here he didn't have many activities to choose from. But he had no doubt he would get by.

Lost in thought, Alek wandered aimlessly, until, tucked away in the far east end of the plains, he stumbled upon a narrow crevice partially covered by a contorted tree. Something about the odd passageway intrigued Alek. It made him stop and wonder what exactly it was that the planet was trying to hide back there. He managed to get past the guardian tree and weaseled through the narrow pass.

A low valley awaited him on the other side. It was small. The trees and close, high walls gave it the air of his own personal sanctuary. The young jedi smiled to himself.

Upon further exploration of his grove, he found something of a ruined old structure at the far end. He could not begin to guess how old it was or what it had been used for. All that was left were several slabs of mud colored stone as the floor and some shaky looking pillars of the same color. But there was one feature that stood out; it's significance in the force. It flowed through this place like water in a riverbed. And for all he knew, that was what had eroded the structure. Just the pure energy of the force.

The stars bean to peak out from behind the deep blue veil hanging across the sky. Alek sat himself down in the absolute center of the worn structure. He closed his eyes, drew in a breath and released it slowly as the tension left him. His muscles relaxed and so did his entire being, soothed by the rhythm, the pulse of the force. It pounded within him like a second heartbeat; promises of power.

This place had a pull. A separate gravity, almost alternate to that of the planet itself. Once he had opened himself up to the force, he felt he would never have to, or want to, get up again. A chill caressed his skin. It was not the night air. Alek frowned. It was pure power. But it did not make him shiver. His heart beat faster. The thrum of the force grew louder, faster. He pulled at the invisible, cold force, wanting more, more, as much as he could get.

This grove offered a new kind of force, a kind of power the likes of which he had never heard of or felt before. No. That wasn't entirely true. His blood felt electric, alive. And he remembered the lightning that had poured from his fingers in the crystal cave. _Was that the dark side?_ But he didn't know or care. He pushed his doubtful thoughts aside and succumbed to whatever force had taken him and took his place in the universe.

* * *

Alek opened his eyes. The sun was just beginning to set on his second day away from the enclave. For two days and two nights Alek had not moved but once when he could not longer suppress his hunger. Now, it was a different kind of hunger that roused him. He needed to know more.

He stood. His head pounded and even when he left the strange trance of the grove, which was thick with power and energy, Alek still felt the force running through him as if it had replaced his blood.

His breath came heavier and deeper than usual. His heart beat quicker. Adrenaline and impulse compelled him across the plains. He walked slowly but smooth and strong. That force had changed him and its scent lingered on him.

He kept walking towards the enclave.

* * *

"Reva. Reva wake up. You've got a message."

She woke as the sleep was shaken out of her by her roommate, Chaan, whose hands gripped her shoulders.

"Huh? What?" Reva was still half asleep. She rubbed her eyes.

"You've got a message," she repeated and pointed to the computer in the corner. It lit up the room with a soft blue glow, intermittently interrupted by a red flash.

"From who?" She asked sitting up and rubbing her eyes once more to wipe out the remnants of sleep.

"I don't know." Her roommate shrugged. The console beeped loudly and flashed red again.

Reva walked over to the computer and opened the message.

_Reva-_

_It's been two days since I've seen you. I have already learned so much. I've missed you. Meet me in the library right away._

The message was not sighed but it didn't have to be for her to know who it was. She turned and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Chaan, who had crawled back into her bed, asked.

"To meet Alek," Reva said as if it were no big deal.

"Right now? Are you insane? It's the middle of the night."

"I'll be alright. Just don't tell anyone, ok?"

"Reva…"

"Please!" She begged, folding her hand as if in prayer.

Chaan sighed. "Alright." And she laid back down on her pillow. "But I hope you know this could get you in a lot of trouble."

"What the masters don't know won't hurt me." She grinned. "They won't find out, will they?" She pointed a sarcastically accusing finger at her friend.

"No, of course not." Chaan rolled her eyes. She still was not totally on board with Reva's audacious plan. "But you'd better watch out for that friend of yours. He could lead you to…"

"I know, I know. "_The dark side._"" She said it as if it were not a real threat. A joke. "You sound like the masters." Reva walked out the door as quietly as she could, but unfortunately, she could not control the volume at which the metal doors opened.

Chaan pulled the covers over her head and mumbled something along the lines of; how does that delinquent get to be at the top of our class?

Reva smiled to herself, closed the door and headed down the hall.

* * *

She managed to slip past all the hallway sentries with relative ease and arrived in front of the library doors. She opened them and winced as the mechanical sound resonated through the empty hall. The room beyond however, was completely silent. Only quiet beeps and tones broke the air every now and again coming from a computer or the holobook shelves. The door closed behind her with a loud clack but then the air was still once again.

"Alek?" _Was he even here?_ She thought.

She walked through the room slowly and silently. Then, she found Alek sitting on the floor in the far corner behind the holobook shelves.

"Alek?"

He looked up from the book he was pouring over. Surprisingly, it was an actual _paper_ book. Not just data stored in a hologram. These were rare in the enclave library which had only one shelf of them.

"Reva! I'm glad you came. It's so good to see you! How have you been? Come sit." He patted the space on the floor beside him.

"Fine, I guess." She approached but did not sit. "I thought you weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow?"

"Technically, you're right, but I saw this as the perfect opportunity to sneak into the enclave library and do some research." He picked up one of the books that lay around him. Some were holos, others, not.

"Well, why did you have to sneak in to do research? Why couldn't you wait until you got back?"

"This is research on a…touchy subject for the jedi." His eyes returned to the book open in his lap and flipped through the pages. "The info they do have on it is stored away so no one can access it, so I had to break in."

"And what exactly is this thing you're researching?" Reva's eyebrows drew together and her lips turned slightly downward. She was almost positive she knew the answer but was scared to say.

"The dark side." He looked up at her with wild eyes. She took an instinctive step back from his gaze. The moment of tension passed however, and he continued to speak. "I think it occupies a grove to the far east of the plains. I meditated there for two days. It was…enlightening."

"Alek…are you abandoning the jedi way?" Fear was thick in her voice. Her intent was clear but she was afraid to say "falling to the dark side."

"No! No, not at all! I just want to know more. The masters withhold all this information from us and I wonder why. It seems wrong somehow…"

"That's not what's wrong here, Alek!" She stormed up to him, unable to stand back and merely watch her friend poison himself. "This is what's wrong!" She grabbed the book out of his hands without any care even though it was old and worn. "The masters are wiser than you. They know that it is best to keep this information out of foolish hands! Now why should we disobey them?"

"Because there's something they're not telling us Reva! They're afraid of something. We only fear what we do not understand so if we understand the dark side what is there to fear?"

"Alek, the dark side only holds anger and destruction."

"That's only what they want you to think! There is so much more to it than that!" He jumped up and leaned in close to her. "I have felt the dark side. Seen it first hand. I am not afraid to admit that." He kept her from turning away by placing both of his strong, sturdy hands on her shoulders and looking deep into her eyes. "And I'm telling you, it is something worth exploring. Why should we only know half of the force? The jedi teach us to be one with the force." He dropped his hands, releasing her shoulders now that he was sure he had gained her full attention. "But how can we be one with it if we do not know everything it has to offer?"

The girl sighed. He had a valid point, but she could sense he was now teetering on the edge between light and dark. It scared her.

"You'll do what you want. But don't drag me into this."

"Fine. I won't." _She'll come around_, he thought. "But you have to promise me not to tell the masters about this."

She had taken a few steps toward the door and turned back to reply. "Alright, I won't."

"Good." He smiled and winked at her. "Goodnight Reva." He headed back for his corner of books. "Oh, and I'll be back before supper tomorrow."

"Good night." She looked back at him with sad eyes as he sat back down against the wall. She was disappointed in him. "Alek…" He looked up once more. "Please be careful." Alek had never seen his friend's hazel eyes look so sad before in his life but he managed a reassuring smile.

"Rev, when am I not careful?" His eyes returned to his books and Reva left him. He heard the metallic slam of the door when it closed and he was left alone again in the silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

To Run Away

Reva- 16

Alek- 18

The door to her room wurred open but Reva did not look up. He leapt onto her bed and stared up at her from his casual, prone position. She continued reading her datapad.

"You shouldn't be in here," she said to Alek with a hint of a smile.

"I know, but do I care?" He rolled over onto his back and gave her an irresistible grin.

She laughed and finally put the datapad aside. "No, of course not. When have you ever cared about the rules?"

He could hear the playfulness in her tone and responded with a smile. "Exactly," he said as he rolled back over onto his stomach. "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Umm…The same thing you are." Curiosity and confusion spread across her face, despite the upward curve of her lips. "We've done the same thing every night for seven years," she reminded him.

"Mhmm, and how do you feel about that?" he said as he rolled off the bed and leaned against the wall casually. He was acting very strange, as if her were excited about something.

"What do you mean 'how do I feel about that'? I don't have any opinion of it. It's just the way things are."

"Yeah, I know! Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"…I suppose. I've never really thought about it. Why are you asking me this, Alek?" A sly smile sparked on her face and he observed a curious twinkle in her eyes. "What are you scheming?"

"Let's sneak out," he proposed in a rush.

"What! Alek, you're insane." She turned away from him almost embarrassed by his absurd proposition.

"Am I?"

She thought about it for a second. "Yes."

"Ok, so maybe I am…a little. But you can't tell me you don't want to!" He was nearly bursting with excitement as if his body could barely contain it all.

She sighed and gave up, saying; "Why is it that I can never say no to you?"

He laughed and sat beside her on the bed, wrapping one arm around her shoulder. "Because you love me."

He smiled at her but she did not return it. Her face was very serrious. Then she said; "I am a jedi, I do not love anyone."

He frowned and retreated. "Wow, a little harsh don't you think?"

"No." She dismissed his clear disapproval. "It's just the way things have to be for us."

Alek stood up, headed for the door and grumble to himself so she couldn't hear; "Yeah, well I'm sick of the way things have to be." That's why he planned to sneak out… Then he stopped and turned back to her. "I'll see you at dinner, Reva. We can discuss our escape plan then."

"Alright." This time, he was the one that did not smile back.

The door closed behind him. _Why can't she see that the way things are are not the way things have to be? Oh well. She will learn that tonight…_

* * *

It was actually relatively easy to sneak out of the Dantooine enclave. Reva and Alek thought it was just their luck. What they didn't know was that it was all a setup. The council made it easy to break the rules so that the defiant ones would and they could catch them and weed them out of the others for special attention before their rebellious ways could lead to the dark side. Just because it was easy to break the rules, did not mean it was easy to get away with it.

Alek left his room and made one full circle of the dorms to make sure the halls were empty. He had promised Reva that he would leave first to make sure there were no sentries around (there weren't) and he would page her when he was sure it was safe. When he did just that it was an hour and half past kerfew.

She emerged from her room, nervous at first, but her expression turned devious when she saw her friend waiting for her. He stood by one of the less conspicuous, "Droid only" doors that led to the outside.

"Come on," he whispered and waved for her to hurry.

Her bare feet patted the floor with swift steps as she crossed the hall and then the doorway as he ushered her out and they left the sleeping enclave behind.

Dantooine nights were cool, borderline cold, but that did not bother the two young and reckless jedi. They ran deep into the outlands, laughing at their ill-gotten success. Tall grass danced about their ankles and through their toes as the silver moon blew a breeze across the plains.

Holding her hand, Alek ran ahead, leading Reva to liberation as if they had escaped from a prison…perhaps they had. For the first time they felt what it was like to be free. Free from the oppressive rules and regulations of the strict jedi code. Finally they knew what it was like to be on the outside, beyond the walls of the jedi order.

When they reached a point that was far enough from the enclave to be deemed safe, they collapsed in a joyous heap, giggling and grinning wildly.

The freedom had almost an alcoholic affect. It made them giddy as it dulled their judgment and heightened their senses. They didn't care about its stupefying effects though. They simply knew they liked it and drank it in more. That night they became addicted.

"Oh my skies, I can't believe we just did that!" Reva exclaimed as she tried to catch her breath.

"I know!" Alek sighed. "That was crazy and probably really stupid but I don't care!"

Then, together, they formulated a plan to never go back, to run away forever and just be free. But while they talked, Reva couldn't help but pick up on how Alek always seemed to emphasize the fact that they would be together, just the two of them, while her mind focused on how they would be free to do whatever they wanted. She smiled and laughed. She was happy to be with him, and glad to see that he was happy to be with her too.

They both had caught their breath by now and lay on their backs taking in the vast, deep, star-spotted, sky. It seemed that when they inhaled, the cool air was actually the deep blue of the night sky itself.

Slowly they returned to reality, realizing that they _would_ go back and they _would_ finish their jedi training as their childish fantasies began to fade. Their minds now turned to the hope of freedom they knew came with becoming a jedi knight.

"When we're out of here," she said, "we can visit all of those planets." She lifted a hand and pointed straight into space specifying nothing in particular.

"Together?" he asked.

"Together," she said. Her hand reached out and twisted into his which lay in the space between them. She smiled up at the stars the whole time. He however, tore his eyes away from the sky to look at something he thought was far more beautiful. She did not notice his eyes on her; she was too busy drowning in the ocean of wonder, filled with glittering stars and planets above her.

An uncontrollable smile of contentment turned the corners of Alek's lips upwards into a smile. He tightened his grip on her hand.

Suddenly, their moment of joy was interrupted by a rustling in the grass nearby. Their hearts skipped and Reva sat up, startled.

"Kath hound?" she asked nervously.

"No." Alek sat up too but less nervous, more cautious and searching. He came to a dreadful realization; "They're humans." But before they could flee, three jedi masters headed by Lamar turned the corner.

"Padawans," he spoke through a viciously harsh glare. "You have deliberately disobeyed the laws set down by the jedi council." His choice of words worried them, making their crimes seem much more severe than they had originally intended. Their hearts beat quickly as they stared up at the displeased masters in terrified awe. "Do you realize the gravity of what you have done?" The words dripped from his tongue like venom and sank deep into the hearts of the two delinquents. They did not respond or move or breathe.

"Get up," he said with disgust. "You're coming with me."

It was two hours past curfew.

* * *

For a long while the masters of the council did not speak, they simply stared at the two padawans that had been brought before them. Reva could feel all ten of their eyes piercing through her , measuring her value and how it had been defaced by the disgraceful act they had committed.

Finally, Vrook Lamar spoke, but as soon as he did, Reva wished that he hadn't.

"This…is unacceptable." The anger in his tone was tangible. It made them both nearly flinch. "Do you realize what you did by sneaking out? You have disgraced the council and the jedi code. As padawans it is your sole purpose and duty to learn and obey the wisdom of the council. What did you possibly have to gain by defying us? It was selfish and ill-executed!" His fury was like a fire that only master Vandar could control.

"That is enough, master Lamar," the small green jedi said. Lamar reluctantly submitted to the commands of his superior. "Getting out of hand you are, children. Wise it would be to explain yourselves, don't you think?" He raised one eyebrow. As Reva opened her mouth to speak, Alek stepped forward.

"It was my plan, masters," he admitted. He was wise to speak to them collectively. It showed more respect. "I was the one who wanted to sneak out."

Vandar made a grumbling noise in the back of his throat. Then more silence. Reva couldn't stand it. She ran ahead of him to face the masters.

"Masters," she said apologetically. "It may have been Alek's plan but it was my fault it happened. He came to me and asked me if I wanted to sneak out. I could've said no but I didn't It was my inability to refuse his offer that caused us to defy you, masters. I am sorry." She bowed respectfully and out of shame. "I realize that I have showed a great lack of judgment and responsibility. I have failed you." She tried to move the accusations away from Alek by turning the blame onto herself. She was willing to take the punishment for him.

"Hmm…" Vandar rested a hand on his chin. Reva expected him to speak but he didn't. Intead master Qual, the selkath spoke.

"Why were you unable to say no?" he asked in a slippery voice. A strange silence settled in the air.

Something like dread crept into Reva's heart. "What?"

"Why do you think you were unable to refuse your friends offer to break the rules?"

She only stared at him, unsure of how to respond. All the masters looked at her thinking; _we know the answer_, but they waited for her to admit it. She still did not speak.

"Attachment," cut through the silence like a blade. "Attachment is what caused you to do this," Bala Nisi, one of the two female council members said, rather matter-of-factly.

"Master Nisi is correct." Vandar said. "We have observed you two and you seem to have a relationship stronger than should be allowed between two jedi. This situation is a perfect example of how strong attachment can lead to the dark side."

"Attachment serves as a gateway to all evils," The blonde female, master Stusea, said. "It acts as a bridge connecting two beings, but a bridge is the most vulnerable point of a fortress. Therefore, we try our best to prevent these bridges from being formed to prevent any of our students from falling. But on the occasion that one of these weak points does form, we must sever it immediately. To protect the fortress."

Master Vandar spoke up again. "This is why we have decided it is best to separate you two."

"What!" they both exclaimed.

"What do you mean you're separating us?" Reva spat out in panic.

"We have chosen to send Alek to Corruscant to complete his padawan training," Lamar said, sounding pleased.

"No! Masters, you can't do that! That's not fair!" Alek screamed, stepping forward. "I had no say in this."

"Oh but you did," Lamar continued. "You chose your fate when you disobeyed us."

They all fell silent. Alek turned to his shocked friend, defeated. "I'm sorry," he said and he began to walk past her towards the door.

For once he felt his worthlessness against the council and his obligation to submit to their demands, but Reva saw a way out and decided to take it. This was an example of what Reva was willing to do under pressure to keep them together.

"No." She stood strong and defiant before the masters with a look of aggression painted across her face. She would not be moved.

The council was appalled at the bold word that had just passed Reva's lips.

"No?" Lamar questioned in disgust.

"If Alek is going to Corruscant, so am I. I am old enough now to choose where I finish my training and it's going to be with Alek," she spat. The council could see her aggression, her passion, and they shivered as a chill crawled across their skin. The power within her was stronger than they had predicted…and even more ominous, they sensed that the darkside ran deep.

"We ask your permission to be dismissed, masters." She stared at them and waited for a response but they were too shocked to give her one. Any respectfulness of her previous statement was quickly forgotten as she simply turned on her heels and left when she got tired of waiting for an answer. Alek went out after her and followed close behind.

Alek was just as surprised as the council was. He didn't think she had it in her to stand up to the masters. A proud smile slipped over his teeth as he looked down at her while she stormed off. He liked this new Reva.

Every last member of the council grimaced, deep in thought, staring at the door Reva and the one they had failed to separate her from had just walked out of.

"What do we do now, master Vandar?" Stusea asked expressing the worry they all felt.

He paused for a moment to weight his thoughts. "We cannot stop them now," he said decisively. "It will only make them more rebellious. Tonight I will send out a message to the jedi temple on Corruscant warning them of the tempest headed their way. They should keep a close eye on those two…"

And so, that night, the two inseparable padawans packed up their few belongings and left. Only once did Reva look back. She would miss Dantooine, she did not doubt that, but she knew that if she let Alek go, she would miss him even more. They put their bags on the ship and he took her into his arms, holding her close enough for her to feel his heartbeat. Yes, she knew that this was what she needed more than anything…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

New Beginnings

Reva- 16

Alek-18

Peaceful, serene, quiet; this was the life Reva was used to. But Corruscant was not Dantooine.

The two jedi were greeted by a sea of grey buildings, crowded space lanes, and crashing waves of sound. It was overwhelming.

Reva and Alek stood speechless, mouths gaping, staring out the window of the shuttle as it descended on the planet. The ship turned slightly and they could see the intimidatingly large jedi temple. It rose out of the skyline like a mountain. Of course there weren't any real mountains on Corruscant, not anymore. They had long since been erased by the city. The mountains were not the only thing to disappear either. The only vegetation was a dusting of out-of-place bushes and trees in courtyards and parks. The one thing that remained of the natural planet was the vast canvas of sky that stretched overhead as the planet below seemed to climb and reach up towards it. She had only been here twenty minutes and already the absence of green made Reva feel depressed and dead inside. However, she knew it was only a matter of time before she adjusted to her new surroundings.

The shuttle swooped in low towards the entrance of the temple. It stopped and waited for its only occupants to exit as it hovered before the mouth of the grey beast.

"Rev," Alek tapped her shoulder and woke her from her daydream. "We're here."

She glanced at the two bags he held in his hands. One was his and the other was hers. Their luggage was pitifully small for a planet-to-planet move, but they were jedi. They weren't supposed to become attached to material things. _Attachment…_Reva thought with a sigh. _That is what brought us here in the first place…_

They walked side by side to the front of the shuttle where Reva paid the driver five credits. He tipped his hat as they walked off.

_At least the sky here is the same as it is on Dantooine…_The sun lit the clouds and framed them with orange light as it made the final stretch for the horizon.

Reva looked over at her companion. He gestured with one of the bags.

"Ladies first," he said.

She sighed and began the trek up the grand temple steps. They were greeted by two jedi at the entrance; a female twilek, yellow skinned with purple tipped leku and freckles and a human male around Alek's age.

"You two must be Reva and Alek," the twilek said in perfect, un-accented basic. "We welcome you to the jedi temple of Corruscant. My name is Valia and this is Ronu.

"Valia and I are to be your escorts this evening. Please follow us," Ronu said before they turned and walked into the building.

They traveled through tall, grand halls and passed many rooms, most of which were dormitories or training rooms. Reva could not have even imagined the jedi temple being this massive after living at the minuscule Dantooine enclave all her life.

They saw many people and an assortment of alien species as they passed, ranging in age from youngling to master. Twi and Ronu showed them many floors and different sections of the temple all of which were different from the next. However, they all displayed the same steel grey color on the walls which Reva found slightly disturbing, but she tried her hardest not to let it get to her.

Eventually, the group split up so that the veteran temple students could show Reva and Alek their rooms. Reva was reluctant to watch her friend go and kept an eye on him until he was out of sight. She didn't like the idea of being on her own in the massive temple so soon and she feared that they each might get lost in the space between them and she may never see him again. There was so much here. So much space that she imagined herself running through every hall, for days on end, and still not seeing that beautiful, grey eyed, familiar face.

"In the southwest wing of the temple, dormitories are on every other floor," Valia said, rescuing Reva from her nightmare. "You and I are in the same dorm area. Southwest D2. I'm in room five, you're in fourteen." When they arrived, she opened the door labeled "southwest dorms D-2".

So far, this was the most at home Reva had felt in the entire temple. The wall to their left as they entered was composed completely of ceiling-to-floor light panels with a golden tint, giving off a relaxing glow.

"Through there is the dorm washroom," Valia said, pointing directly ahead to a door at the end of the short hall. Looking to their right, Reva could see the whole room as it opened up before her. The walk that led from the door to the washroom was raised by a set of five or six steps and lacked a right wall to give the space more air. The lower section featured a small sitting area and the student's rooms. There were four rooms on each of the three walls surrounding a tall, cubical structure in the center of the room. Each side of the center column had a door as well. The doors were all metal and the walls, grey, but they were livened up with wood accents. Plants were scattered about the sitting area and the lighting was just right. Reva smiled to herself.

"So…What do you think?" Valia asked, turning to Reva.

"I think it's perfect," she replied with a smile.

They continued down the steps and Valia pointed to the first door in the center column of the room. "That's your room. If you need me, mine is room five, right over there. Well, I do believe that is the end of our tour this evening," she said. "It's getting pretty late. I'm sure you want to get settled in. The schematics of the entire temple are on your computer console if you'd like to explore a little bit but I'm off to bed for the night."

"Wait, what about my lessons? This was a pretty sudden transfer. They haven't been arranged yet."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. The masters here take care of all that for you. I'm sure that in the morning your schedule will be uploaded to your computer."

"All right, thank you," Reva breathed a sigh of relief. That's one less thing she would have to worry about.

"Well good night, Reva."

"Yes, thank you Valia," she said but her mind had already wandered to other things. Like where Alek could be. She opened the door to her new room and stepped inside.

It wasn't much different than the rooms on Dantooine, a computer console, a footlocker, a chair, but only one bed. Reva wasn't sure if having a room to herself was a good thing or a bad thing yet.

She shrugged the bag on her back off of her shoulders and placed it on the bed. She opened it to find her stuffed Ithorian friend staring up at her.

Worn and tattered, he resembled how Reva felt. She was weary from travel and the stress of making such a drastic change in her life was beginning to take its toll. She set Mr. Stuffy on the chair in the corner.

Not long after unpacking her humble bag of belongings, Reva heard a knock on her door which woke her from her shallow slumber.

She stood up and brushed the cobwebs of sleep from her eyes. When she opened the door she was glad to see his bright, shining face; Alek, who she hadn't seen in over three hours.

"You didn't think you could get rid of me that easy did you?" he smirked.

"How did you find me," she said beaming.

"Ronu knew your dorm number."

"He did? Creeper," she joked

Alek laughed. "I doubt it. He seems like a nice enough guy. How about Valia? What's she like?"

"Well she's certainly nice but I didn't exactly become her new best friend or anything. And of course she could never replace you," she admitted with a grin then paused. "Would you like to come in? No rules against it."

"Hmm." He certainly thought about it for a moment but then he offered a new plan, "I think I have somewhere better we can go." He took her hand and they left Reva's room hojw it had been a few hours before, quiet and empty.

* * *

It was late at night and Alek still led Reva up floors and down corridors of the Corruscant jedi temple.

"Alek are we nearly there?" Reva asked. "We've been walking for like fifteen minutes."

"Yep, almost," he assured her. They were deep within the temple now and the further they went the older the architecture became.

The final hall was long, tall and narrow. At least thirty feet high but less than ten feet wide. With dark brown walls and a deep red Persian carpet, the passage seemed even smaller, but it was a piece of its own little world, clearly isolated from the rest of the temple. It had its own atmosphere, like a secret slice of the universe meant to calm and sooth and prepare a jedi to encounter whatever great secret the doors at the other end kept. The great wooden barriers beckoned, drawing the two jedi nearer. It took them a fair amount of time to travel the extravagantly long and elegant passage but when they stopped before the huge double doors Alek turned to her.

"Alright, now close your eyes," he said. Reva did as she was told and covered them with her hands. "Now close your ears."

Reva laughed at his ridiculous and obviously joking remark. "Close my ears? Alek you're insane."

Though her ears remained unsealed, Alek proceeded to open one of the doors and led her through. "What's going on," she wondered, eager to see what glorious scene her hands withheld from her. "Why can't I look?"

"Because it's a surprise. Keep them closed just a little longer. A few more steps."

Reva could feel the change in surface beneath her feet. They were on wood now. It sounded like a bridge.

Alek stopped his temporarily blind friend. "Ok, open your eyes." She did.

Green. Nothing but green was what she saw when her hands fell to her sides. A river of blue flowed beneath her feet. They were indeed on a bridge and from it she could see everything, or so it seemed. Assorted plants flourishing, a luscious green with splashes of genuine color. It was nighttime in the forest around them. Wherever they were, Reva had not completely ruled out that Alek had simply transported her to another planet altogether. She simply could not wrap her mind around it.

"Alek…where are we?" she finally manage to ask behind a smile.

"It's called the room of a thousand fountains," he replied cheerfuly.

"You mean we _are_ still in the temple?"

Alek laughed. "Of course! Where else would we be?"

"I don't know but I would never have imagined such a beautiful place like this hidden inside this dull, grey world."

Lights along the bottom of the bridge lit up their feet and false stars adorned the ceiling…or was it the sky?

"Follow me." Alek said walking across the bridge. "There's a lot more."

When she reached the end of the wooden boards Reva threw off her shoes to expose her deprived feet to the sensation of cool grass. When she had first laid eyes on the city her heart had wept at the thought that she might never walk on grass again.

A few feet away from the river was an elegant, open, marble hall and set in the floor was a pond speckled with green lily pads, white flowers and glowing lanterns. The two jedi took a seat on one of the benches near the water. From the structure Reva saw nothing but green and the occasional blue glow of a lamp or bioluminescent flower. Birds and small animals of all colors and kinds roamed freely in the foliage. This was even more beautiful than Dantooine, more beautiful than anything she had ever dreamed. She was soothed by the sound of waterfalls, quit chirping birds and the scent of fresh rain.

"Rev," Alek said timidly, breaking the silence like a ripple on the water.

"Hmm," she turned to face him. He seemed nervous, avoiding her eyes. She could not imagine why.

"Has it…crossed your mind that maybe the council was…right?"

"What do you mean?" She was taken aback and even slightly offended by his ambitious question.

"Well, we're here because the council was going to separate us right?"

"Yeah. I wasn't going to let them do that to us. We have to stick together, remember Squint?" she said, getting defensive, unsure of where he was going with this.

"Exactly. They said we were too attached to each other. Well…what if we are?"

Fear grew in her heart. No. She wouldn't let him leave her. They'd come too far together. "Are you saying we should split up?" She dared to ask with fear.

"No, not at all," he paused. "Quite the opposite actually"

Reva raised an eyebrow and did not speak, she did not know what else to say. All she could do was wait for him to explain himself.

He shifted closer, keeping eye contact. "I'm saying we should do something about the way we feel…" He leaned in so close that she could feel his breath, hear his heartbeat, and she immediately knew what he was doing. But her lips did not meet his. She turned away at the last second.

Alek blinked, defeated, disappointed, but at the same time, he had expected this.

"Alek, you know we can't do this," she nearly whispered. Still facing away from him, she tried to gain control of her emotions that he had sent spinning out of control. "We're jedi. This is the very reason they were going to separate us, Alek. Don't you see? I'm sorry but if we have feelings for each other we have to ignore them." Finally she looked at him. "In a way, we can't be together if we want to stay together."

Alek sighed and turned his eyes to the ground. "I know. But you can't just forget emotions like this, Reva."

"Well we're going to have to. There is no emotion…" Reva said as she stood.

"There is peace." Alek finished the phrase of the jedi code, that they both knew all too well, to show that he understood.

"I'm going to bed. You should too." She began to leave but before she did she added, "Goodnight Alek."

He didn't reply, he didn't even look over to watch her go. He couldn't. He just sat alone staring into the dark waters of the pond as he forced himself to accept the horrible fact that she was absolutely right.


	6. Chapter 6

**If anyone has been following this story I sincerily appologize and also applaud you :D I haven't written or updated this story in an incredibly long time ...it feels good to be working on this again :) Hopefully it won't go on too long now... :p**

* * *

Chapter 6

The Dark Archivist

Reva- 19

Alek- 21

They had two years of a normal Jedi life. They woke up early, went to their lessons, ate well, studied hard and didn't stay out too late. And of course, much to Alek's dismay, they stayed away from romance and the lure of the dark side.

They were extraordinary padawans, both studying under the same master, Zhar Lestin. Reva excelled in her studies and Alek stayed modestly behind her in skill, marveling at her abilities. But as much as they enjoyed being average Jedi learners, something about their nature constantly ate away at them, telling them that they could accomplish more. It told them to expand their knowledge of the force. The voice manifested in the form of a dangerously insatiable thirst for excitement, for adventure, for power.

One day their average Jedi routine changed and a restlessness was stirred in them. Their life, once again turned from the ordinary.

Reva's room had transformed into a pool of the force. It bathed her in prickling energy. The smooth sensation washed over her like waves; the ebb and flow of life.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing slow and she sat calm and crossed-legged on the floor of her room, meditating, practicing her concentration and control of the force. This was a basic exercise, one she had learned years ago, but that did not mean that it was easy.

It taught a Jedi to use the force as an extension of one's self. To lift something into the air without touching it was a simple example of this difficult concept. It took very little skill to simply chuck an object across a room with an uncontrolled burst of energy, but keeping something steady and moving it slowly took concentration. It was like learning how to control muscles in a limb that was not there.

So Reva focused on the chair hovering in the air which she had snatched from under her desk with the force's hand. It floated gracefully back and forth as if suspended in water. It wasn't of course, it was suspended in energy.

Quickly, Reva grew tired of the object which she'd been using for this exercise since the day she arrived on Corruscant. Sighing, she opened her eyes and gently placed the stool back on the ground with a slow release of her force-grip. She liked to meditate, it cleared her mind, and she didn't mind using the chair as her subject. She knew its weight and structure well, but it was because of this familiarity that she realized she was not improving her grasp or control of the energy within her. She needed a challenge.

Standing up from her sitting position, Reva approached the chair with confidence. Bending over, and placing her hands squarely on the seat, she breathed in deeply, then out slowly.

She called upon the force once more, asking it to grant her balance as she drew one leg up into the air and then the other. It took her a moment to secure her hand-stand position. The force guided her the whole time. She didn't see, she felt.

Once she was comfortable, she beckoned the force closer, drawing in its power. It wrapped itself around her body and stabilized her.

Then, to increase the difficulty of her exercise, she released the chair with one hand and slowly moved her arm to reach straight out from her body. She barely wobbled. She breathed in, she released the breath and with it went her tension. This made her bold.

Toes perfectly pointed, one leg moved out to the side as far as she could stretch. She had transformed herself into an acrobat of the force. But Reva did not stop there. The force gave her peace, balance, clarity and confidence…maybe a little too much.

She locked the current position of all her limbs and moved the energy out from her body to surround the chair. She grasped it steadily with invisible hands.

Now, with slow and steady caution, she repeated the earlier exercise of lifting the chair; but now, with her own body balanced precariously on top.

The chair rose slowly from the floor, lifting Reva's carefully balanced weight with it. She shook ever so slightly, but the force steadied her. Her eyebrows drew together in harsh concentration.

The determined Jedi ascended towards the ceiling, her pointed toe nearly brushing the surface when…the door clattered open and a booming voice filled the once silent space.

"Reva!" Alek exclaimed.

As her concentration was shattered, the force slipped away from her and gravity took over again sending her tumbling towards the ground. She shrieked in surprise.

Luckily, Alek intercepted her just in time, putting his arms between her and the floor to catch her.

The startled Jedi breathed a sigh of relief, safe in the friend's arms, she calmed her frantic heart.

"By the skies, Alek! If you are going to kill me by sending me falling to my death, could you at least knock first?"

"Sorry," he smiled apologetically and set her down on her feet once more.

"Now," she said, brushing off her robes. "What was so important that I almost cracked my skull open?"

"Oh, right!" said Alek, his thoughts returning to his important news. "I have this friend named Thalin, you've never met him but you will soon. He has a collection, a secret archive you could say, and I think it might interest you." He positively glowed with excitement.

"_Secret_ archive? Alek, I don't like where this is going…"

"Just trust me. Please?" he begged her with the saddest eyes.

"Fine," she gave in. "But if I don't want to get involved you have to respect that."

"I will," he nodded. "Now come on." His smile exploded across his face once more and they took off down the hall.

* * *

Alek knocked on the door of Thalin's room and Reva shot him an annoyed glance.

"So you do remember how to knock."

He only smiled down at her, ignoring her comment.

The door slid open, activated by a dark haired human male with a black beard surrounding his smiling lips. He brown eyes turned bright when he recognized Alek.

"Alek! Good to see you!" he greeted them. Then he turned to Reva. "Is this the girl you were telling me about?"

The tone of his voice made Reva wonder exactly what it was that Alek had told him.

"Yep," Alek replied. "This is Reva."

"Pleased to meet you," she said. She threw on a smile and bowed in greeting.

"Excellent. Do come in." Thalin stepped aside and allowed them to enter.

It was now that Reva noticed there was someone else in the room. A female Chagrian with small, graceful features and aqua blue skin sat kneeling on the bed, smiling widely and looking very perky as she watched them approach.

"Reva, Alek, this is Aara," Thalin introduced her after he closed (and locked) the door.

"Hi," she said in a sing-songy voice. "Are you guys here about Thalin's research?" Her voice got noticeably softer but her smile never faded.

The two padawans looked at each other. Alek let her decide.

Reva let out the breath she had been holding and replied. "Yeah, I guess we are."

"Excellent." Something about the way Thalin smiled made Reva a little uncertain, but it might have just been her nerves. "So, Alek tells me you two ventured into studies of the dark side back on Dantooine."

She glanced at Alek, not liking where this was going. "A little…"

"Well, if you're interested, I sort of…inherited a secret archive from a Jedi here before me. This collection goes back years. The council doesn't know about it, but it contains secrets of the dark side that are kept from the eyes of most Jedi. I promised its previous owner that I would continue his research as he had promised when it was passed to him. I'm not the only one who knows about it. Curious Jedi come to me when they want a little more insight into the unseen side of the force. As you know, Jedi get very curious. These 'clients' come and go however, and it's all kept very secret, very safe."

Aara cut in, still smiling. "He's quite proud of his collection." He grinned at them and nodded. "He makes sure this information doesn't fall into the wrong hands," she said in a slippery voice that made Reva's skin crawl.

Silence washed over them as Reva tread into hot water slowly.

"Alek, why did you bring me here?" she said quietly to him, though Thalin and Aara could clearly still hear them.

"Thalin asked me to help him keep his operation going," he replied. "I didn't want to keep this from you. I figured you would want to help too."

"And why did you think that?" she hissed.

Alek's face turned hard and he got very serious. "Because I know you Reva. You want to know more about the force, as much as you can learn. But you can't do that if you're only looking at one side. You have the potential to be one of the most powerful Jedi of our time and you're trying to get there. You're trying so hard but you just keep falling short. Something's missing Reva. You need and advantage and this is it. We're not the only ones who know there is more to the force than what we are told. It's not dangerous to learn about the dark side. It's smart. It's common sense.

"So if you want to keep falling just short of great, you go ahead and walk away. But this is your chance to finally gain the power you know you can achieve. And personally, I think you like the risk. It's a challenge. It's excitement. You need your life to be beyond average, you crave it. Take a look around Reva. This is adventure." He spread the last words out in a whisper, but they were no less impactful. The stuck in her mind and struck her heart.

She looked at him with defeated eyes, somewhere between fear and tears. But something he'd said had sparked something in her mind, something that would never be extinguished. Her eyes turned strong and burned with new passion.

"You know me too well, Alek," she said simply, smiling a dangerous grin. She turned her gaze decisively to Thalin once more; "So, where do we begin?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

What Never Changes

Reva- 20

Alek- 22

I had been exactly four years since they'd come to Corruscant and Reva still remembered that first day well. She thought on it was she walked down a busy city street.

The day was beautiful, even for the dirty, overpopulated city. After her morning lessons with Master Lestin, Reva had told Alek that she would go down to the nearby park just to think and enjoy the day. He informed her that he would be unable to go along due to previous commitments. She didn't mind going by herself though. In fact, it felt rather good to just set herself free and go on a stroll without distraction. She smiled as the patch of green came into view.

The way the light shone on the bright green blades and the breeze that made them dance brought back memories of Dantooine. She sighed into the cool air and sat herself down in the sun. As she sat in the Corruscant park, her mind ran across the plains that surrounded the Dantooine enclave.

What brought her back to the present was a tall man in a blue and grey uniform who strayed off the path, walking towards her. He carried a bright, fresh bouquet of flowers. She looked up with curiosity as he approached her with a soft smile.

"Good morning, miss," he said, giving a slight bow in greeting.

"Hello." She nodded.

"Would you happen to be Reva Harhaara?"

"I would."

"Of course. He said you'd be here. Then these would be for you." He handed her the bunch of flowers.

She smiled widely at him in surprise and even laughed a little as she took them into her arms.

"Thank you!" she said as she leaned down and inhaled the fresh aroma.

The delivery man bowed. "You're quite welcome, miss." He tipped his hat, turned and walked off.

She looked down at the bundle of green and pale colors. It was a bunch of sunset flowers which grew wild on the plains of Dantooine. She smiled and looked at the small white card tucked carefully among the leaves and petals.

_"Hey there, Rev. Four years ago I ran away with you to this crazy place and never looked back. I hope these flowers bring back good memories and keep you looking to the future._

_ -Yours truly, Squint._

_ P.S. Meet me here at sunset. I have a surprise for you."_

Reva got up to leave and smiled the whole way back to the temple.

* * *

That evening she slipped out of the temple and moved swiftly and gracefully down the city street. She took the same route she always did to reach the park, her favorite spot in the whole city and the place where Alek had told her to meet him.

There were no streetlights in the close proximity of the park to keep the lighting there as natural as possible for the city-shocked off-worlders. She grinned to herself in the artificial shadows. She walked across the grass of the park towards her friend who was standing under the very same tree she had rested near earlier that day. He smiled back as she approached.

"I'm ready for my surprise," Reva said, getting straight to the point.

"Are you? I don't think you are." He flashed his white teeth.

She gave him a does-this-look-like-I'm-joking expression and he just laughed. "Come on then." Turning, he headed off down the duracrete path with Reva following close behind.

* * *

He led her to a beautiful, tall skyscraper, one of those buildings that looked rather more like a piece of art than a functioning structure.

"What is this, Squint?" Reva asked, giggling.

"You'll see."

He brought her inside, gaining access with some kind of pass-card, to be greeted by a bright hall mode of white stone with shimmering accents of sparkling pearl and shining gold. Her eyes grew wide as she took in its beauty. However, Alek did not stop to admire the view. Instead he made his way straight to the long white desk at the back of the hall and made sure that Reva followed him. They looked very out of place here in their dull brown jedi robes.

Alek spoke to the reception droid, "Lord Xalifax is expecting me. Alek Squinquargesimus and my guest, Reva Harhaara."

The droid scanned both of their faces, which surprised Reva. With such high-tech security she could not begin to guess where they were.

"I will send your identification, names, voiceprint and facial recognition to Lord Xalifax for security check. One moment please," the droid said in his programmed-to-sound-friendly voice.

The security check came back almost instantly with confirmation from the mysterious Corruscant noble.

"The lift to your right has been set for Lord Xalifax's residence. It will take you directly there." The droid gestured to the glass doors to their right which slid open noiselessly. "Please enjoy your stay."

Alek smiled, took Reva by the hand and ran off in the indicated direction.

When the pre-programmed lift came to a stop, the doors moved aside and they entered a grand foyer filled with expensive furnishings and fragile artwork.

"Alek, what's going on?" Reva asked through a smile.

"Just wait," he told her, stepping across the luxurious carpet to meet the butler who approached them.

"You are the jedi the house has been expecting sir," the stern-faced man said matter-of-factly in a stiff, dry voice.

"We are," Alek confirmed, though clearly no confirmation was needed.

"Come with me then. The Sky Hall has been prepared as you requested sir."

The walk did not take long and it was not at all boring. They were, after all, in a Corruscant Lord's mansion. The journey ended at two large, dark wood doors each one opened by a separate servant.

"We hope you enjoy the hospitality of the Xalifax manor, lord and lady jedi." The butler bowed and left them.

"Alek…how…" Reva was speechless at the sight before her.

"Just come with me." He led the shocked girl through the doorway and the servants behind them closed the doors to leave them in private.

The grand hall before them was filled with the cool night air and the breeze was sighing through heavy, red curtains that lined the walls. There was a wide balcony that invited in the glow from the city and the opening gaped from the floor to the high ceiling. The room was the size of a ballroom, perhaps it was, but tonight all that was in it was a long, elegantly dressed table.

"Alek…" the awe-stuck jedi whispered to the empty hall. She could not contain the smile that broke across her face. He saw the sparkle in her eyes and grinned.

"What…how…why?" she breathed, locking her eyes with his as she finally settled on the question she really wanted answered.

"I'll answer all those in just a moment." He nodded and took her by the hand to lead her to the table where he pulled out her chair for her and she only giggled.

When they were both seated, they contently stared at each other across the table. Candlelight danced in the breeze and shone off silver dishes and a glittering crystal centerpiece. Reva was simply speechless.

"Well," Alek said, replacing the peaceful silence with cheerful words. "Let's address all the questions you have over dinner, shall we?"

He gestured and servants entered, carrying lavish trays of fine foods, elaborately prepared. Reva could only laugh with amazement.

As they dined, Alek spoke between courses.

"So, let's talk about 'what'," he said after taking a sip of his wine. "This, my dear, is me treating you to the grandest dinner I could arrange because you're incredible and you absolutely deserve it."

He just barely caught the hint of blush that tinted the girl's cheeks.

"Well I think that's a bit exaggerated but I'll take it," she said. "Now tell me how," she wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"A jedi has no money, no possessions but one thing we do have an abundance of is connections." That was all he told her. He raised his glass in a pseudo-toast with a sly grin.

After that they spoke of other things. It wasn't until desert that they reached the final question.

"So, Alek, tell me," Reva started, folding her hands professionally. "Why?"

He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts and his face grew serious. To Reva it seemed as though he were preparing for a speech….or at least something well-rehearsed.

Finally he spoke. "It's our anniversary."

"What," Reva blurted out, startled by the intimate language.

"It's been exactly four years since we've come to Corruscant."

"Oh…right," she remembered, calming her heart.

"But after all this time, some things never change." A look of pain showed across his face. Reva creased her brow in confusion and he continued. "It's like I told you the first day we came here all those years ago. Do you remember what I said that night?" Dreadful realization dawned in Reva's heart. "Nothing's changed since then. I still love you, Reva."

Her face fell as confliction came over her. She played his words back again and again, evaluating what he'd said. Her stern expression was discouraging for Alek. His heart sank.

Avoiding his eyes, she stood up from the table and walked across the hall to the balcony with her wine glass in hand. Alek caught a glimpse of her eyes before she walked past. They were like stormy seas of troubled sadness.

Reva looked up at the washed out stars, a view that Alek had made possible for her to see. They were so high up that the points of light were just barely visible if she squinted real hard. On Corruscant it was like the stars had died in the sky, defeated by the overbearing city lights, but now their sparkling beauty was revived but just barely shining. She sighed at the night. Her fingers danced nervously around the glass in her hands.

Leaning on the wide balcony ledge, she said, "Alek, why do you have to make this so hard for me?"

Alek twisted in his seat to look at the girl facing away from him. "I could ask you the same thing." When she said nothing in reply he got up from his seat and walked over to stand beside her. She stared down at the grey ledge and refused to look at him. "Rev, I'm sorry," he began trying to control the damage. "I tried to do what you said. To forget my emotions. But if you only knew the way I feel then I look at you…maybe then you'd understand."

She could feel his durasteel grey eyes on her and her heart skipped when she felt his gentle hand on her back. _I do know how you feel_, she admitted to herself but did not say. She had to bite her lip to stop herself, fighting desperately to suppress what her heart was telling her in that moment. The wine in the glass before her began to look particularly inviting. She turned, leaning her back on the balcony ledge with her glass in hand and took a deep drink of the comforting alcohol.

Alek looked down at his troubled friend who seemed, at this point, to be ignoring him.

"I guess I should just give up now." He sighed before turning away.

Reva placed her glass on the balcony and lifted herself up to sit on the ledge. It was wide enough that she was confident she would not fall.

"I'm probably just wasting my time." He began to walk off, disappointed and crushed, but Reva grabbed his hand.

"Alek!" she cried before violently turning him around and crushing her lips to his.

His eyes grew wide at the surprise kiss but eventually realized that this was what he was hoping for all along and kissed her in return.

When their lips finally parted Reva said in an out of breath whisper, "You're not wasting your time."

He noticed that her eyes were filled with tears. Heartbroken tears. Tears of joy. But he didn't have time to ask why before he leaned down and kissed her again, deeper this time, pulling her into his arms and closer to the heart in his chest where she belongs.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Premonition

Reva- 21

Alek- 23

Thalin had contacts. Collectors, curators and smugglers of darkside artifacts. That is where they were headed now.

It was late, the temple had been quiet and sleepy when the group of four left with their hoods raised to shield their identities. In the city they'd split up to avoid conspicuity and reassembled at the designated meeting point.

This time it was a smuggler. A reliable one who made frequent trips to Korriban. And this time he had a sith holocron.

Each one of the keepers of the secret archive had heard stories, seen pictures of these ancient sith relics, but never had they had the opportunity to actually see one. Anticipation flickered within each one of them as they approached the abandoned apartment door.

Calmly, Thalin slipped an envelope under the door. It contained a paper that disclosed the number of people in the party, the name of the party leader, a secret password and also a down payment to view the artifact. Smuggling and dealing darkside relics was a dangerous business….for the smuggler and the jedi. They had to keep it all secret.

They walked once around the apartment floor and arrived back at the smuggler's hideout, just like they were told. Thalin sucked in a breath and knocked once.

The door immediately opened and they rushed in. Once inside, the door snapped closed and they were greeted by a tall, thin man with dark hair dressed in a green shirt with black trousers and a brown vest. Thalin stepped up to shake his hand.

"Kaler, thank you for inviting us to see this artifact. I've been waiting years to see a holocron in person."

"Don't thank me as long as you can pay," he said sternly.

Thalin produced a handful of credits and handed them to the smuggler to complete the payment. Reva wondered how Thalin even got that money in the first place. Jedi weren't supposed to accept any kind of reward and they certainly could not have a job. She pondered this but did not ask.

At the sight of the credits, Kaler instantly brightened with a smile on his face and energy in his voice.

"Right, let's get to business then."

He leaned down to open the safety box he had on the table at his back. He unlatched the lid, gently raised the object out of the black foam and placed it on the table before them. After that he moved aside to allow all four jedi to gather around.

They stared wide-eyed at the dark triangular object. The holocron stared coldly back.

"Wow," Alek said in wonder, a smile dawning on his lips.

Reva looked across the table and noticed the troubled expression on Aara's face. The calm blue of her skin seemed faded and her eyes were terrified as she stared at the pyramid.

Thalin whipped out a datapad and began taking notes, scans and still images. With permission from Kaler, he even ran his fingers over the smooth, black surface etched with ancient sith symbols. He told the group that they were spells of darkside magic meant to protect and empower the holocron.

He then dove into explaining all the gritty details of the history, purpose and making of holocrons. Very little of it interested Reva, but while the others listened, she stared into the shadowed soul of the sith object. She shivered as she felt the darkside energy surrounding it reach out and touch her. Her nerves prickled and her stomach turned. The holocron was sucking her in and she did not resist.

"Do you know who this belonged to?" Thalin asked Kaler.

This snapped Reva out of her trance-like state. Alek was the only one who noticed. He looked down at her with worry.

"I don't. It wasn't found in a tomb and no one I know can open it to find out…I'm not sure anyone would want to," Kaler answered. "Nonetheless, these things are high in value," he added almost protectively.

There was silence in the room for a moment. "Well, I guess there's not much more we can do here you guys," Thalin announced. "This was a great experience and we got some good material for the archive." He seemed quite pleased.

"I think we should go," Aara said quickly, looking rather pale.

Thalin moved to shake Kaler's hand and thank him one last time but Alek stopped him.

"Wait," he said. The whole group turned to him. "What if we tried to open it?"

"No," Aara spat in quick reply. "Absolutely not. That's crossing the line. We got what we came for, let's just go. The thing makes me sick just looking at it. I can't imagine what would happen if we opened it."

The expression on Thalin's face told Alek that he agreed with Aara. It was harsh and deep in thought. He brought a hand to his chin and he creased his brow. "I'd love to see what secret's it's hiding," he said, glancing at the dark pyramid. "Who knows what kind of knowledge it has." He paused, weighing all of his options carefully, but he arrived at this, "But I'm afraid it's impossible for any of us to open it. We're jedi," he reminded them. "It can only be opened by one trained to control the darkside." He seemed disappointed but confident.

No one had noticed that Reva had once again slipped into a staring match with the object in question.

"I'll do it," she said mindlessly without tearing her eyes away.

Thalin was shocked, Aara, disgusted.

The dark haired jedi turned to her with a look of confusion. "You can't. Didn't you hear what I just said?" Reva did not look at him. She was positively transfixed with the holocron.

Everyone was quiet and a little bit disturbed. Even Kaler could sense that something was not quite right and he took a step back from the girl.

Alek said with mystery in his voice, "I think you should let her try."

Thalin did not protest. Perhaps he was afraid to. Aara let out a strangled whimper but held her tongue. Alek and Kaler were both silent. Reva took that as permission to make an attempt.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, breathing in the force. Energy poured off the holocron, flowing out from its etched markings and rolling down the smooth, black sides. The air around it prickled with electric energy that grew stronger by the minute. Part of her cringed, part of her drank it in. She wondered why she seemed to be the only one who could feel it.

Finally, she found the courage to extend her own spirit, her mind, her soul to reach out and touch it. As her consciousness slipped through the air, the crackling energy made audible snaps and pops…audible to her anyway. But she pushed further and finally she reached the object. She sucked in a breath as she felt like an icy wave of freezing water had suddenly slammed into her unsuspecting body. Her whole being shivered.

The room around her fell away into blackness, cold, electric blackness, as her consciousness rubbed against that of the holocron itself. It was alive, and now she could see its life energy. Dazzling, dancing sparks and bolts of lightning.

She heard a chilling, slippery sound crawl up through the darkness. It evolved into a harsh, menacing voice. This is what it said to her; "You…you are strong, young one. I sense the darkside in you. Yes…I will grant you knowledge of the darkside. But I will only tell my secrets when we are alone…look around you child. Look at your friends. One day you will be greater than all of them…Revan." As his voice faded, a flash of an image like lightning played across Reva's mind; A figure in a dark cloak with a mask of deadly black and soul-shocking red.

Her mind recoiled at the force of the vision and her consciousness was thrown back into her own body. She gasped and nearly fell backwards. Once again she was standing in the abandoned apartment surrounded by three jedi and a smuggler.

"Reva!" Alek exclaimed, noticing her distress. He ran to her and grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her. She blinked twice and scanned his worried eyes, seeming dazed and confused.

"Did you see anything?" Thalin asked in excitement.

Reva looked around for a moment then her attention whipped back to the holocron. It whispered, "Shhh…" She knew only she could hear it.

When she turned back to Thalin, her eyes were suddenly strong and confident as she returned fully to reality.

"Did the holocron speak to you?" he asked again.

"No," she lied. "No it didn't. I'm sorry." She hung her head in fake disappointment which she matched in her voice. "I saw nothing."

"It's alright," Alek told her comfortingly. "Thanks for trying." He placed a kind kiss on her forehead and ran a hand through her hair to reassure her.

The whole group turned to the smuggler who seemed unphased by the event.

"Thank you so much, Kaler," Thalin said, shaking the man's hand. "I guess we should be off."

"No problem, Thalin. I'll be sure to contact you if I find anything else you might be interested in."

"How much is your buyer paying for this," Reva blurted out suddenly.

"Around two-hundred and fifty thousand credits. Why?" he asked eagerly. "Do you think it's worth more?"

"I wouldn't know," Reva replied, sounding tired. "I'm sorry."

He only nodded, seeming disappointed and Alek noticed that, strangely, Reva did too.

When they were on their way back to the temple, Reva and Alek fell behind the other two jedi. Alek leaned down to whisper to her. "Why did you ask him how much the holocron costs?"

The girl shrugged but stayed silent.

"Reva, what are you up to?"

"Nothing," she spat defensively.

He glared at her, scanning her up and down, looking for a reason for her strange behavior.

After a short while of silence she spoke. "How do you think Thalin got those credits?" She seemed half-aware, lost somewhere deep in her thoughts.

Alek grew increasingly concerned. "I don't know. It's none of our business," he said quietly, growing anxious and annoyed. "You don't need credits anyway, Reva," he tried to convince her. His look was critical, meant to make her really think about whatever it was she seemed to be planning but she didn't even glance at him.

Her eyes were set dead ahead, but seeing nothing. Her mind was on one track. _I will grant you knowledge of the darkside…_ The voice spoke to her from behind a shadowed mask of red and black.


	9. Chapter 9

**This is not the end of the story! "Ending" is only the title of the chapter. Don't worry, there's more ;)**

* * *

Chapter 9

Ending

Reva- 22

Alek- 24

Reva sat across from Thalin at a table in a secluded corner of the jedi archives. Her attention was absorbed by her research. However, Thalin was not so preoccupied and would occasionally glance up from his datapad to look at the girl opposite him.

"Reva," he said to break the silence.

"Hmm…" she replied absent-mindedly, clearly not paying attention.

"Reva, it's important," he urged.

She looked up, saw that he was troubled and set her holobook aside. "What is it?"

He waited a moment to collect himself before breaking the news. "I'm leaving."

His words hung heavy in the air as it took Reva a moment to take them in.

"What do you mean leaving?" she asked, trying to understand.

"I'm leaving the order, Reva. Soon I will no longer be a jedi." He sighed with regret. She had to stop herself from gasping.

"Thalin, why? Why would you do that?"

"I have to continue my studies of the force, to understand it fully and completely," he answered. "Not just the one dimension of it that the jedi teach. I'm afraid further commitment to the jedi order will hinder this ambition." His eyes were dark, hard and sincere. Reva just looked at him in disbelief. "I need you to be the keeper of the archive now," he whispered, leaning close to her.

She blinked in surprise. "What about Aara?"

Thalin swallowed and leaned back in his chair. Tears came to his eyes but he managed to contain them.

"Aara turned herself in to the Masters. They know she's been studying the darkside." Reva's stomach turned with sudden fear. "They're sending her to a remote enclave to 'cleanse' her of darkside teachings."

Reva felt sick and her head spun. It was too much.

Sensing her distress, Thalin quickly spoke to comfort her. "She told me that she didn't tell them she was working with us and they don't even know about the archive. She was as general in her confession as possible to protect us."

Reva's eyes scanned the grey table in front of her as if they would grant her peace. _There is no emotion…_

"But you don't have to go," Reva protested weakly in desperation, holding back tears. _There is peace._

He looked at her solemnly. "I do, Reva. I don't belong here anymore."

"That's not true. You belong here with me and Alek."

"I have to do this to keep you two and the archive safe. Don't you see? Aara confessed to the Council. It won't be long before they figure out my role in things. If I go now maybe they'll think the issue's been taken care of and won't look into it further. I can try to convince them that Aara and I were the only two experimenting with the darkside."

Reva couldn't quite believe it. She was crushed. Besides Alek, Thalin and Aara wer her only two friends, but now they had broken her heart. Maybe it was for the best; _Jedi are not supposed to form attachments_, she reminded herself.

Thalin lifted her chin tenderly so that her eyes met his and offered her a gentle smile. "I'm not cut out to be a jedi, Reva," he told her. "You know that."

* * *

Three weeks after their friends had left, Alek and Reva sat in her room discussing nothing in particular. She lay on her back with him by her side, his arms wrapped around her waist and his head resting on her abdomen.

He talked about nothing that particularly interested Reva. She tuned him out mostly and thought of other things.

Since Thalin and Aara left, she'd felt the pressure of being the keeper of the archive. Some nights she would lay awake in the darkness of her room, sighing at the ceiling, her mind racing with worry and, on occasion, guilt. With her arms around Alek she found some comfort, but not enough to ease the darkness closing in, her constant depression.

She shifted beneath Alek's touch, urging him to get up.

"What is it?" he asked as he released her from his grip.

"Come on," she said, her voice small an unenthusiastic. "I want to sit outside."

She stood up and left the room. He followed, however reluctant to leave the private intimacy of her bed.

She walked across the open area which surrounded the dorm rooms and sat on one of the benches there in the corner. Alek joined her, looking at his friend with concern. She had not been herself recently and it troubled him.

He took her hand gently. "Something's been bothering you." He stated. She didn't look up at him. A frown twisted her lips and her eyes were fixed on the ground. He had never seen her so unhappy. "What's wrong?" He leaned in. Stroking her hair, he touched his forehead to the side of hers.

She didn't answer; instead she glanced up at a pair of jedi who walked obliviously past them. She jerked away from Alek as if his touch was poison. Fear and embarrassment showed on her blushing face while world-shattering hurt was on his.

She sighed and when the jedi had passed, Alek moved to hold her hand once more.

"Just stop, Alek," she spat viciously, moving farther from him.

He looked at her with pained confusion. "What's this all about, Reva? Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes!" she blurted out.

"Oh! Well please enlighten me! I apparently was unaware of my glaring mistake," he shouted, sarcasm flying off his tongue.

Reva was quiet. She sighed. Sadness filled her eyes as she leaned in close to his ear. "You fell in love with me." Her voice was a fragile whisper, broken with regret.

When she pulled away, Alek stared in horrified realization. "So what?" he admitted. "How is that wrong," he choked out, fearing her answer.

She only shook her head. "We can't, Alek. We just can't."

"Why not?" he hissed, growing frustrated. "We pulled it off for two years!"

"But what if someone caught us?"

"They all do it too!" The volume of his voice drew a horrified expression from Reva.

She was speechless for a minute and swallowed hard before saying in a hushed voice. "The council _knew_ about Thalin and Aara, Alek. They were _caught_."

"Yeah, but you said that Aara turned herself in."

"But before that the master's knew of their relationship. That's why Thalin left. He was afraid they would catch him too because of his relationship with Aara."

Alek was skeptical. "How do you know that?"

She sighed and looked deep into his cold, grey eyes. "Thalin told me things, Alek. Things that he didn't tell you. It was dangerous, what they were doing. Their whole relationship and on top of that, the archive. Now we've inherited the research Alek. We cannot repeat their mistake."

Alek could only stare at her in disbelief. He felt tears burn at the back of his throat. This would destroy everything he'd tried to build with her for over ten years.

"I'm sorry…" she breathed, fighting back tears of her own. Reluctantly, she stood up to leave, giving him one last look of apology.

As she began to walk away, he finally found the strength to speak. "What does this mean for us?" he called.

Slowly she turned back to face him, her expression revealing that she had recovered from any emotion that had harassed her in their last moments. "We have to forget whatever was between us." She turned and was off.

With that she left him alone. Again. Alek now deeply despised her nasty habit of doing that to him.

* * *

Reva was very good at ignoring the past two years of their relationship. The next day, after their lessons, Alek met her in her room. She was bent over the computer console, the footlocker containing the darkside archive was hanging open.

"Oh, hey," she said without looking up. "Did you get those files I asked for?"

He shifted awkwardly, unsure of how to interact with her now. "Yeah…" He moved closer and extended the data file in his hand to her. Without turning around she took it from him.

"Great." She continued to work silently.

He stared at her back for a moment, hoping she would at least acknowledge his presence. She didn't. His highest hope was that she would bring up the conversation they had yesterday and change her mind about the whole thing, but he was greatly disappointed. He sighed silently in defeat.

"Let me just enter these into the computer and we can-" She stopped and turned when she heard the door slam shut with a loud metallic clack. Alek was gone. She was upset for a moment but dismissed her feelings and kept on working.

* * *

Several months later…

When Reva opened her eyes, breaking the meditation, Master Kae, sitting across from her, glared with deep disapproval.

Reva looked back at her with a frown, puzzled. "Is something wrong, Master?" she asked with caution.

"Yes, padawan. But I'm not sure what," she said, looking deep in contemplation.

"What do you mean?" Reva was confused.

"You are more likely to know the answer to your first question, young one."

Reva paused and absorbed what her master had said. It did little to clear things up for her. "This has something to do with me then?"

"It has everything to do with you." Her face wrinkled at the eyes as she squinted at Reva, looking for some kind of answer. There was a space of silence between them. Reva did not quite know what to say.

"Recently you have been distracted in your lessons," master Kae said. "Your progress appears to have halted."

Silence again. Fear crept into Reva's heart but she swallowed it easily. She'd always been a good liar.

"I'm sorry, Master Kae. I'm trying my best…"

"You are not," she interrupted. "There is something…else." She narrowed her eyes, nearly seeing right through Reva's calm bluff. "The council has told me to keep an eye on you," she told Reva ominously. "There is something about you that has turned sour." Reva squirmed beneath her master's uncomfortable gaze. "You are not quite right, I'm afraid, my child. And you should know that the Council is watching you closely."

The elder jedi stood gracefully and left the padawn alone in the darkened room.

Now Reva could feel the weight of what her master had told her. It descended on her like a bird of prey. Fearful claws gripped her heat and yanked her into uncertainty, making her stomach turn.

She stood and quickly fled to the safety of her room where she locked herself in and panted for a moment in the darkness.

Collapsing on her bed, the stress of her double life snapped and she felt it break her heart. The force of the split manifested as tears and the lone jedi cried to herself for the first time in years that night.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Revanchist

Reva- 23

Alek- 25

The Mandalorians had been threatening the Republic with their outer rim campaign for several years now and the Jedi's refusal to help simply disgusted Reva.

"The Jedi are supposed to be the guardians of the Republic," Reva ranted. "How can we sit by day after day and watch as the Republic fights itself thin?"

Alek, of course, agreed with her. She wasn't sure if it was genuine of just her influence but frankly, she didn't really care. She needed all the support she could get, no matter how sincere it was.

There were few others who agreed with them. Reva suspected that the Jedi were now indoctrinating the students against any action to aid the Republic.

"It's so wrong. How can they possible believe all this obvious brainwashing? This is just proof of how the Council suppresses our free thought." Reva was never one to take well to brainwashing. And she was now determined to open the eyes of the Jedi.

"I have to talk to the Council about this, Alek," she fumed after recovering from one of her rants on the topic. She shook her head and tried to breathe deeply.

"Why?" Alek questioned, sounding frustrated. "You're not going to convince them. _No one_ agrees with us," he hissed.

"I can do it," she said, determined

Alek could only shake his head.

Seeing his skepticism, she repeated herself, "I can do it," with more emphasis this time. When she caught his eyes, somehow, all his doubt disappeared and he believed her.

* * *

Their small group of supporters, nine strong including them, gathered for a rally of sorts before she went in to face the High Council. There were not many of them but they were committed.

"Show 'em we mean business, Reva," a male Togruta supporter called.

"Oh, I will. Because Force knows we do," she assured them. The crowd grumbled in agreement. She radiated strength and passion and it brought out the same in her followers. "I want to thank you all for your support," she projected sincerely. "You are the brave ones. To stand up for the truth in a sea of lies…that takes strength." They all stared up at her with inspired, admiring eyes. "What we're doing here is taking a risk," she said. "I am gratefull you all understand that. But I promise, if I fail today and the Coucil refuses to swallow the truth one last time, we do not stop here. And we will force it down their throats!" This won wild cheers and excitement from the crowd.

"You go tell 'em, Reva!" one of the girls cheered.

She nodded to them all before turning away. Alek followed her to the door of the Council chamber.

"I honestly think you are capable of convincing anyone of anything, Reva. If anyone can get the Council on our side it's you," he told her with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Alek." She bowed in gratitude. Standing up fully, tall and strong, she took a deep breath.

He could tell she was nervous but she would rise above it easily. "I know you can do this."

A strong hand on her shoulder reassured her. She nodded to show she was alright before he ran off to rejoin their supporters who had stayed behind. Reva stood up tall, straightened her robes, brushed back her short brown hair and entered.

The council of twelve was silent as she walked gracefully to the center of the circular room. Their eyes were on her, judging her harshly, but she brushed them off as if they were nothing. The silence was thick on the air. Hardly anyone breathed. Stopping, she glanced around at all the masters, radiating intimidating confidence.

"I, Jedi Knight Reva Harhaara, have an appeal for the Jedi High Council," she announced, projecting her voice to fill the room.

Immediately, Uuric Sadwen, the stoic and intimidating Master of the Order cut her down. "We all know what this is about, Mrs. Harhaara. Naturally we've heard of your nefarious proselytizing to the members of our order and I think it goes without saying that we don't like it too much so please try to make this as brief and painless as possible."

Instantly, Reva was stunned. She had not been expecting that. She took a moment just to breath and pull herself together once more.

"There is a war out there," she began, starting off loud and strong. "Recently I've begun to question your awareness of this fact. The Republic is being threatened by the Mandalorians, a breed who a born, raised and trained to be brutal, ruthless warriors. And now, it seems, in the time of the Republic's greatest need, we've excused ourselves from our sworn duties; To protect the Republic!" She stared them all down, but even her vicious voice did not seem to be convincing.

The Master of the Order shifted in his seat and, looking bored, waited for her to continue.

"I demand and explanation for why you think it is even remotely ok to abandon our responsibilities at a time like this. Each day, thousands of Republic soldiers die because their noble Jedi choose to refrain from saving lives." With all of her passion, naturally, tears could not be prevented from making an appearance, but emotion is weakness for jedi. She prayed at the masters would not see, but they were highly trained and hyper-observant; that was unlikely to happen.

"So what is it then?" She started to pace around the circle, looking at each master's uninterested face. "Are we cowards? Are we lazy?" she spat each accusation with more venom. "Are we proud? Or are we just too stupid to realize the gravity of this situation?" She stopped before Master Sadwen. "Because honestly, right now, I don't know what to think of our order." She looked around again with disgust across her face; A challenge.

Silence fell. Sadwen stared down at her in condescension. He was not amused.

With a smooth whip of his tongue he brushed aside the curtain of silence. "Have you forgotten your history lessons, young one?"

Confused, Reva only glared at him, saying nothing.

"The Great Sith war," he announced to the audience of the whole room. He looked past her to the other council members. There was nodding and a few humms of agreement.

He looked back down at the ambitious jedi. "The mandalorians allied themselves with the fallen jedi Exar Kun and Ulic Quel-Droma. Together they devastated countless worlds and left our order broken and crippled." He paused and glared at her with firey eyes. "The Great Sith war was an embarrassment to the Jedi Order and I will not suffer a repeat of this conflict."

"Exactly!" Reva raged. "We must defeat the mandalorians to restore our reputation as the defenders of the Republic! We have to do this to regain our honor!"

The master seated beside Uuric laughed aloud. "Now you're beginning to sound like the mandalorians themselves."

Reva was dumbfounded. Her argument crumbled before their stern gazes and uncompromising points.

She regained her composure and resorted to last-ditch efforts; just one step away from begging. "I _know_ we can defeat them," she said with sadness evident in her voice. She looked Uuric in the eyes and he admitted, she was strong, but he could tell she had already given up.

"I think you are far out of line, padawan. Please dismiss yourself. I trust you are smart enough to interpret our answer for yourself." And with that he ended the discussion. For good. She had failed. Her argument dissolved to dust.

Reva was devastated. With one last glance around the quiet chamber she turned on her heels and stormed out leaving fire and bitterness in her wake.

The council door slid closed and Alek was there waiting. He didn't have to ask what happened. The whole conversation was clear on her face. And there was a time when he would have taken her into his arms to console her, but not anymore. Now he was only permitted to stare with a sorry look on his face; and it hurt, it burned inside him.

She walked with dignity and grace over to the group of silent supporters and Alek followed. She could already see the burning anger in some of their eyes.

Solemnly, she declared, "If the Council will not believe us, we will just have to show them."

* * *

So it was decided; Reva and her followers would go to the mandalorian front to scout out the enemy lines and finally make a move to get the Republic the jedi aid they needed. But later that day, Alek approached Reva with some unfortunate news; he would not be going with her this time. There were two others who would stay behind. But for each supporter that refused to go, the Revanchist added two more to her ranks. By the time she was to leave, she had twelve jedi to accompany her. So it was no the loss of support that bothered her, it was the loss of her closest friend.

He told her with regret that despite his support of her cause, he was still loyal to the Council and did not want to risk exile for disobeying them. She pleaded with him and tried to argue but his heart would not change. Lastly, he told her that her plan was foolish and irrational to drive the point home. He turned his back on her and stormed off.

Now it was Reva's last night at the temple before she left for the wars. He had to find her just to say goodbye one last time. They had their fair share of fights and their relationship was certainly dysfunctional at times, but despite everything, they were always there for each other. Well, until now. Since they were younglings on Dantooince they'd been inseparable, but all things must end. Maybe it was for the best. He thought about his roommates on Datooine as he walked through the temple halls searching for her. They had warned him so long ago to distance himself from the dangerous girl. Maybe it was about time he did that.

He found her in the room of a thousand fountains. She was standing on the atmosphere walkway which hung high above the forest, surrounded by the simulated night sky, speckled with stars. Shaking from his mind all doubt he had been dwelling on, he approached her.

"What are you thinking about?"

His voice startled her and she jumped, turning quickly to face him. She had not been expecting anyone here this late, let alone Alek. A rosy red tint crept across her face. She avoided his eyes desperately.

"Oh, you know…plants…" she lied. Averting her gaze, she leaned on the railing while he stepped closer.

"Ahh, plants." He nodded, playing along. "A very thought provoking topic," he joked.

She didn't reply. Continuing to stare down at the far off foliage, her face grew very serious.

"Why are you here so late?" he asked honestly.

"Well," she replied. "This is my last night at the temple. I thought I would spend it in my favorite room." She sighed sadly. "I can't believe this is the last time I'll be here. At least in a long time."

He nodded weakly. "Yeah. I can't believe it either." Then everything changed. "Which is why I'm going with you."

Reva instantly brightened, shocked and surprised. "What?" she asked with a delighted smile.

Alek grinned wildly back. "I'm leaving too, to go fight the war."

"You changed your mind? You're coming with me?"

"Yep."

Reva laughed. Her mood made a 180 turn. He stepped up to the railing, smile fading but still undeniably there, and leaned over beside her.

"Well good because I was lying when I said I was thinking about plants." She said suddenly. Blush returned to her face but she remained composed.

"Yeah I figured."

She looked up at him with the loving eyes he had missed so much. "I was really thinking about what I was going to do without you."

Moments like this, that was why he had changed his mind. And that's why he would follow her to the edge of the galaxy and beyond. So he came to the same conclusion that he had all those years ago on Dantooine. _"Together we are strong. We have to stay that way or this life will destroy us." _He truly believed that with all his heart. Without a doubt he loved her, and that was worth the risk.

He took her into his arms and she leaned into him, arms around his waist; the way things were meant to be. And there they forgot for a moment that soon they would be thrust into war, not having the slightest idea what to expect.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The War Front

Reva- 23

Alek- 25

The Revanchist leader and her followers stopped briefly on Taris to appeal to the jedi council there on their way to the front. Unfortunately, the trip proved to be in vain as they left without a single new ally and slightly wounded pride. But they had to move on. They knew support would be scarce, and they couldn't let that stop them. It hadn't back on Corruscant.

They arrived on Suurja where several skirmishes had already taken place. The war at this point was a stalemate. The Mandalorians had gained no new ground in over a year. Perhaps the intervention of the Revanchists was just what the Republic needed to start pushing them back.

The planet was small, covered in fields and speckled with farms, a great contrast to the metropolitan Taris for which it was a resource world. But Reva and her followers did not get to see it up close immediately. They were being taken in for a meeting with Saul Karath, the captain of the Republic fleet. They were to meet him on the bridge of his ship and all thirteen jedi fell in step behind the young, charismatic Revanchist leader as they marched across the room in a display of hope and dignity.

"Captain Karath," Reva saluted, coming to a halt before the man.

He turned from observing his fleet to face them. "Ah, Master Jedi. We've been anticipating your arrival for some time now."

Reva raised an eyebrow. "Have you?" She glanced at Alek. "How did you know about us, the Revanchists?" She hadn't thought the dramatic events on Corruscant had been noticed and their arrival on Suurja came virtually unannounced.

"The Revanchist Leader and her band of jedi rebels have been all over the media," he informed her, "My fleet has been praying for a long time for any sort of jedi assistance we could get. When we heard about you we breathed a sigh of relief and hoped for the best. And now you're here. I hope you understand, this is like a miracle to us."

Reva smiled widely and she could not feel more proud. Finally, someone who appreciated her. She shook his hand firmly. "I'm just glad to be doing the right thing, sir."

Alek behind her couldn't help but smile. He loved to see Reva this happy and the thought of finally being useful made him all the more excited to get to work.

"Well, I have no command over you, jedi. You are free to do as you wish but I'll inform my troops that they should assist you in any way that they can."

"I'll keep that in mind, commander. Thank you." She nodded to him with a smile and prepared to take her leave. As she did so, Saul straightened up and replied, "No, jedi. Thank you."

Disregarding Taris, it would seem that the Revanchists had a great start to their military career.

* * *

Several uneventful days on Suurja passed. The jedi got settled into the small base set up on the surface. Saul apologized to Reva for the lack of action on the quiet, agrarian world, but there wasn't much he could do. He had established a strong defense cordon of which he was very proud and they were waiting for the mandalorians to attack to test its strength. They couldn't do much else. She understood. And frankly, the Revanchist was not at all concerned about Suurja. She wanted to focus on a more important matter…the mysterious moon of Dxun. It was rumored that it was where the mandalorians had set up a base and were planning to launch a full scale invasion of the Republic. Dxun would be their springboard. Reva knew she could not let that happen but taking her entire band of followers was too risky and probably unnecessary. She knew she would have to go alone.

Alek was unaware of her plan when he caught her in the middle of packing. The door to her room was open but he knocked anyway. "Hey, Reva, I thought you might want to…" he stopped when he realized what she was doing. "Uh…are you going somewhere?"

She looked up from what she was doing, packing a small back with her few belongings. "I'm leaving," she confirmed, "for Dxun. I'm going to check out the mandalorian activity there."

He chuckled sarcastically, "Ok, were you planning on telling me this?" He stepped inside and she continued to gather her things.

"Of course, Squint," she sighed. "But I need you to understand something." She turned to face him fully. "You can't come with me. For the sake of stealth I need to go alone."

"Aright," he replied sadly, secretly heartbroken by Reva's leaving him out of the loop. "Well, I'm your second in command. Does that mean I'll be in charge here?"

She smiled and replied with some humor, "Well I need someone to watch the kids while mommy's away."

While Alek processed that comment, she zipped up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Sending him a coy smile, she walked past him towards the door.

He called after her, "So, what, am I your nanny now?"

He fell into step behind her and she smiled to herself at his predictability. "Mmm…no, I was thinking more along the lines of husband," she shot over her shoulder at him.

He nearly stumbled over his own feet at that. Picking up his scattered thoughts he managed to catch his breath. "Yeah, well, I do like that idea better." He stepped quickly to catch up with her. "Alright fine, but you'd better be careful."

She rolled her eyes at his concern. "Of course, Alek." They stopped at the entrance to the living quarters and she turned to face him. "You too."

They continued walking and Alek observed the shuttle in the distance on the landing pad prepping for takeoff. This was it. She was leaving. Alek sighed and sucked it up.

"I wouldn't worry about us too much here." He said as they strode towards the shuttle. "There doesn't seem to be too much going on."

She turned on her heels suddenly to face him and lifting herself unto her tiptoes, placed a kiss on the unsuspecting corner of his mouth.

"I'll be back in a few weeks," she reassured him. "Maybe then things will get more interesting." A suggestive smile turned her lips and lit up her eyes.

She left him there standing awestruck and made her way over to the shuttle. There he struggled for a little to try to find something, anything to get her to stay just a little longer.

"Are you sure you won't need anyone?" he called to her. "It could be dangerous." Needless to say, she turned back around rolling her eyes. "You might get lonely." He grinned.

"I can't take you if that's what you're asking. You're my second in command. But I suppose I should take someone to assist me," she gave in. "Do you have a recommendation?"

He looked around a bit at the rebel jedi as they bustled about the Republic camp. Finally, his eyes fell on a human female he had recruited himself.

"What about Meetra?" he suggested. "One of my recruits. She's a brilliant soldier and also good with computers and mechanics."

Reva considered that a moment then replied, "Very well," and she called over to the young jedi. "Surik!"

The girl trotted over and bowed respectfully. "Yes, Master."

"Pack your things. You are to accompany me on a scouting trip to Dxun."

Her face brightened, no doubt thrilled by the excitement. What an honor to be selected to personally assist the Revanchist leader on an important mission. "Right away, Master. I'll only take a minute."

"Step to, soldier."

Meetra ran off to her quarters with a spring in her step.

After watching her go, Alek turned back to Reva expectantly but she only flashed him a quick smile before turning to leave for good.

"What, that's it then? You're just going to leave without a proper goodbye?" he said, offended.

She turned back around and said, "Well what's your definition of a proper goodbye?"

With that he swooped down and drew her in with an unexpected kiss. Reva found herself swept away in the unanticipated emotion of the moment. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. When he finally released her, she was speechless.

When she regained control of her words, she mumbled, "right, yeah," while blinking in astonishment and blood flooded her cheeks.

He grinned down at her, utterly pleased with himself and released her from his arms.

She turned once more and headed towards the shuttle, nearly stumbling over herself. "I'll see you soon," she called from a number of paces away.

"Until then, my love," he jokingly sent her off with a wink of his eye and a wave of his hand. The blush still had not faded from her face as she sent him a look meant to say "don't-call-me-that" and failed horribly at seeming threatening.

He watched her walk gracefully all the way to her ship, smiling to himself. Meetra ran past him. "Bye, Alek," she called.

When she was safely on board, the shuttle took off, beginning its journey to Dxun and leaving Alek all alone in command of the Revanchist forces.

* * *

As they approached the small jungle moon, the Revanchist reduced the shuttle's ion emissions to minimum in hopes of slipping quietly by any mandalorian scanners that may be active. She took a deep breath and began the descent.

The shuttle touched down in a well concealed clearing in the trees, but the jedi couldn't breathe easy yet. They broke away from staring into the unknown green tangle of trees to exchange and anxious glance. They both held their breath.

Finally, as the engines and outer shell of the ship cooled down, they heard nothing stirring in the woods and deemed it safe to go outside. Reva naturally took the lead. She stood silently and exited the ship with her disciple close behind.

The sky that hung above was menacing. Threatening to throw rain down on them at any minute and the smell of distant rain somewhere further in the jungle met their noses. Thunder rolled across the air like and army approaching or artillery fire, but still the jungle seemed far too peaceful to be disturbed by the war which seemed so far away.

Narrow dirt trenches which served as paths were carved into the landscape, whether by rain or sentient life they could not tell. Nonetheless, these paths had to be followed in order to navigate the surface. Attempting to travel through the dense jungle on either side would be suicide.

Meetra carried a pack of equipment and supplies. In her hands was a scanner to map the geography within a mile radius as they attempted to feel out the lay of the land. Reva followed a few paces behind her, reaching out with the force beyond the trees to detect any hostile life that may be stirring. She was tense like a predator, cautiously stepping through the grass, a steady hand constantly on her weapon.

"It looks like many of the paths converge on a massive clearing to the north. Could be the camp," Meetra called to the jedi behind her. "Should we head that way?"

Reva did not answer right away. She felt something approaching on her right. It made the hair on her neck stand pin straight. It wasn't any living thing. I couldn't be. It was bodiless energy, too much to be contained in any creature. Shivering in the cold, she took a few silent steps further before she stopped before the source and stared it down. It was a narrow, winding path which poured out energy like a raging river. She could see no farther than a few feet down the trench before it turned sharply. She had no idea what was down there. A chill blew through her bones.

"No, let's go this way," She announced without breaking her trance-like gaze.

The girl walked back to her enchanted master and followed Reva's cold stare.

"What's down there?" Her voice echoed chillingly through the silence.

It took the jedi a moment to reply. "I don't know…" Then, without thinking, she began to tread uncertainly down the mysterious path. Meetra, even more cautiously, followed reluctantly behind. Adhering to her master's side, a strange new terror took hold of her heart.

They proceeded through the jungle and so grew a tangible tension in the air. A certain uneasiness swirled about the two nieve jedi, but this feeling affected them both in starkly different ways. For Meetra, it manifested as a sickening anxiety and the oppressive weight of darkness. For Reva it was the profoundest excitement and a dangerous curiosity.

They turned the final corner and there it stood before them. Tall and black and sinister with a looming face. It stared without eyes deep into them as if it knew their soul. They shivered with fear but could not tear their eyes away.

"What is this place?" Meetra spat with disgust.

"I cannot say for certain," the master replied, strangely calm. "But the force is strong here."

Thunder boomed somewhere in the distance but to them it seemed like a roar pouring from the mouth of the mysterious structure as if it were come kind of ferocious beast, preparing to make them a meal. Reva began to step slowly toward the façade.

"I don't want to go in there," Meetra cried. She hated the way weakness sounded on her voice but she dared not even imagine what awaited them within the cold, dark walls.

Reva turned back to her, somewhat disappointed. "Fine. You can stay here. Use the comlink to call me back if anything happens."

Meetra nodded thankfully, tears nearly coming to her eyes. Reva turned from her then and left her alone in the jungle.

The Revanchist strode with confidence towards the shadowy entrance, each step drawing her deeper into the swirling dark side energy until it swallowed her

completely.

* * *

**Comming up next: Chapter 12, the Flashpoint Rescue.**

**More is revealed about what Reva has discovered on Dxun. Now going by the name of "Revan", she reports back to the council about the mandalorian front. Also, Zayne Carrick executes the daring rescue of Alek and the Revanchist forces who were captured in the fourth battle of Suurja! **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The Flashpoint Rescue

Reva- 24

Alek- 26

Revan stood before her master, staring into the bodiless soul of Freedon Nadd.

Three months ago, on the jungle moon of Dxun, Reva Harhaara discovered the Sith Lord's tomb. After dedicated and thorough exploration of the structure, a familiar relic was found; a small pyramid with sleek, black sides and gold embellishments.

"That's impossible," Reva had said to herself in the darkness. It was the very same object whose black consciousness she had touched all those years ago on Corruscant. Somehow, it was back in its rightful place.

She remembered that day very clearly, all that the voice had said to her and the things she had seen. It had called her Revan.

The dark side was swirling all about the room and through her body. She could not back out now. She reached out both hands and prepared to call upon the force and concentrate very hard. But the thing fell open when her skin so much as brushed it as if by its own command.

The gatekeeper flickered to life and startled her, causing her to instinctively leap back. The image of Freedon Nadd spoke to her.

"You are Revan."

She gazed at the hologram and it back at her. She shivered at how positively _alive_ it felt. After a moment she glanced around and realized it was waiting for her to speak.

"Revan?" she said, her question echoing off the cold, stone walls. "You called me Revan?"

"Force presence recognized." It explained. "You are Revan."

"No, but that's not my name," she pleaded, still very much confused.

"Recalculating," the thing announced. "Memory scan complete. Recognition." A pause. "You are Revan."

She laughed to herself then but had no idea why. "Revan," she whispered. The name on her lips made her heart jump in the very best way. "You remember me?" she asked the holocron.

It answered. "Date of last access: three years, two months and fifteen days ago. Welcome back."

She couldn't believe it. Her smile turned to laughter and she stood there, laughing in awe for a very long time.

Later on when she asked it how it had come to Dxun it explained that the man who bought the holocron from the dealer was financially powerful but weak-willed and easily manipulated. The holocron was able to control him just enough to get him to take the artifact back to its rightful resting place, in the tomb of its maker.

"How convenient," she thought, "that I might stumble upon the same rare artifact twice in my life." Indeed. The force works in mysterious ways.

And so, Freedon Nadd became her teacher in the ways of the dark side, just as he had promised three years prior.

She remained a committed Jedi and yet her experience with the dark side expanded her control of the Force and she became so much more than just a Jedi. Her will was strong and she was able to resist succumbing to the dark side. She invited it into her mind and body but locked it out of her heart. She thought it was more than a miracle that the Sith master decided to teach her despite her light side orientation but he sensed the dark in her that she herself could not detect.

Not only did she learn helpful powers that she could now access but he also instructed her in the ways of battle tactics and strategy. For over two months she had been attending sessions with the dark master almost every day.

While she attended her private lessons, little to no progress was made concerning the Mandalorians. She dictated those duties to Meetra since she was completely dedicated to her studies in the way of the Sith.

Meetra was somewhat perturbed by this and very concerned for her master. Reva told her next to nothing about the strange temple she set out to visit every morning and she worried still when her master strictly told her not to. She couldn't help it. There was something happening out there in the jungle and she didn't like not knowing what. But she drudgingly kept on with her studies of the moon and the search for the illusive Mandalorians. Not only were they skilled in battle but also in stealth and reconnaissance. All efforts to find them seemed in vain and the search turned up very little…that is, of course, until the attack.

Reva sat in complete calm, bathing in the tranquility of the force. Her master, glowing before her, was light in the shape of Freedon Nadd. He was silent and had been for some time now, patiently watching the equally silent woman mediate. There was stillness and silence throughout the tomb as the Force resonated through it on an un-hearable frequency. If the tomb were a living being, and the corridors its veins, then the Force would be its blood.

Reva was at peace, even in the darkness that consumed her. But that peace was disturbed by a distant rumbling that shook the floor and rattled the stone ceiling above her head. At first it was nothing but a noise and she quickly dismissed it, returning, unperturbed, to her meditations. But then it sounded again and this time seemed to make the Force itself tremble. This, of course, she could not ignore and she allowed her eyes to open. She listened again and it as there. Not even the thunder from the frequent storms broke the still air of the tomb. Whatever this noise was, it was not small.

"Did you hear that?" she asked her master, her voice carrying to fill the room. His expression went unchanged as usual but his reply showed his annoyance. "Yes. That is the sound of your voice which I am disturbed to be hearing at this point seeing as you are to be meditating."

"No, no, listen." She stood, boldly disobeying her master.

The rumbling crashed through the quiet once more.

Unable to resist the curious longing in her heart, she turned from Freedon Nadd then and went for the door but what he said immediately stopped her.

"Revan, your lesson here today is finished. When you choose to step outside these walls the assessment has begun." As if that would stop her, but it was not really meant to. She let his words sink into her heart but even then they only served to compel her to go.

Racing through the cave-like halls, blood pounded in her ears, resonating with the distant booming that demanded she run faster. By the time she reached the outside, breath was screaming in her lungs. The thundering disturbance echoed across the atmosphere now and seemed to shake the entire surface of the planet. She turned her eyes to the sky in awe. Orange and red splotches flashed across the clouds. A sky battle.

Using the Force to propel her through the jungle she arrived back at base; the shuttle where she and Meetra stayed. Rushing inside she found the jedi apprentice leaning over the controls wich were illuminated much like the sky.

"What the hell is going on up there?" she demanded.

Meetra was unable to take her eyes off the controls even for a second. "I hate to say this but I think it's those damned Mandalorians. Where the hell were they hiding? All of a sudden our sensors just started going crazy. It's like they came out of thin air!"

"Take us up."

Meetra began the prep for take-off while Reva, staying calm, took the seat next to the pilot's chair where Meetra was.

The shuttle made and agonizing ascent through the humid Dxun atmosphere, clouds obscuring their vision more often than not. But once they reached space they could see clearly, and what they saw was terrible. A vicious fight between the planets. Mandalorians pouring out of nowhere from the surface of the moon and but a few Onderonian defense vessels for them to contend with. The two Jedi were speechless at the horror they witnessed and shortly after they fled to Corruscant with first-hand accounts of the Mandalorian's aggression. But the Mandalorians were not far behind as they launched their full scale invasion of the Republic.

* * *

Reva burst through the doors to the council chamber, not waiting to request an audience. Meetra followed sheepishly behind. She was angry too but knew better than to brazenly show her emotions in a frightful display of rage in front of the wisest Jedi in the order. Reva cast those convictions aside and took on the fury of the Sith she so precariously studied.

"You were wrong," she declared boldly once she stopped before Master Sadwen.

He pompously lifted his chin, looking down his nose at her before replying rudely, "What makes you think you have the right to make such an accusation?"

She stared him down, all the respect fled from her eyes.

"This is no longer some outer rim skirmish," she preached. "I've seen them, first hand. They obliterated the Onderonian fleet and enslaved its people. They did not delay in advancing to other worlds. They are coming for the Republic!"

Sadwen masked his emotion well. What Reva could not see was the anger that he reserved for her and no other.

Sadwen huffed. "I assume you would be speaking of the Mandalorians?"

Reva did not reply to his ridiculous question. Instead she cocked her head and glared as if to say "obviously." He let a brief silence fall before continuing. The words rolled slowly off his tongue. "And where were you that exposed you to such an experience?" The way he asked made it seem to Reva that this was no longer an accusation but that Sadwen had turned the tables and made it an interrogation. She made a mental note to tread with caution.

"I was investigating the Mandalorian front on Dxun but we were too late. By the time they revealed themselves nothing could be done. We could not stop them," she replied with confidence.

"I see," he complied. "And where were the other Jedi who you led to the war front while you were on this private mission?"

A red flag went up in her mind. He knew something that she did not. From the very beginning she had been at a disadvantage. But it was too late to withdraw now. She would have to play his game.

"They remained on the planet of Suurja to provide greatly needed assistance to the defeated and demoralized Republic fleet."

"Ahh…" he cooed, making Reva cringe. He spoke as if she were a youngling once again. The dark side burned within her and all she wanted was to cut off his head. He leaned forward in his chair resting his elbows on his knees and spoke very softly. "Do you know what happened on Suurja?"

Now she was too scared to reply. She swallowed and was silent. Her mind went to Alek and all the loyal friends she had left there. Something had gone wrong and she didn't even know. In this case Uuric Sadwen knew more than she did. This made her stomach turn.

He leaned back in his chair and stuck his chin in the air as though he thought himself a god. "I believe there was a battle there at which you were not present," he sighed as though dealing with an ignorant child. "What ensued was not in favor of the Republic or the Jedi you brought and abandoned there. Captured by your ruthless enemy, every last one of the men and women who trusted you were taken to the Flashpoint Stellar Research Station." Guilt destroyed all of Reva's anger then. Agonizing fear for her friends replaced all her emotion, but only briefly. Her rage was not easily swayed. "Force only knows what they suffer there." He shook his head sadly.

"No it can't be," she denied, staring at the master in horrified disbelief.

"It is true," he insisted.

"Where did you get this report?"

"It's practically common knowledge by now Ms. Harhaara. I must say," he sighed, "I'm very disappointed in you."

Briefly, she saw an opportunity to turn the unfortunate news on him and use it to her advantage. She set her emotions aside to make a sober argument. "Well this only goes to serve my point because if you had offered your assistance from the start this would not have happened," she raged.

"No, if you had only listened to us this would not have happened."

"Things like this are happening all over the galaxy but you don't care enough to help!"

"Well evidently neither do you since you allowed such a tragedy to befall your friends," he spat viciously.

To that she had nothing to say. Whatever argument she made, he crushed it. Her best and only weapon now was silence.

The floodgates of Reva's emotions opened while silence ensued in the council chamber. Fear, anger, disappointment, vengeance. The Jedi would tell her to control her emotions but they all descended upon her at once and they were too strong. Besides, now she knew how to use her emotion as a catalyst for action. Emotion was a tool, ignoring it was apathy and apathy is death. The Jedi were cowards and she saw that now. What set her apart was her passion.

"Now," Sadwen began, "you are a disappointment and an embarrassment to this council and the Jedi Order. You have failed your friends and given the Republic false hope. By order of the Jedi Council, if you have any respect left for it, you will leave Corruscant, travel immediately to Flashpoint Station, retrieve your misguided recruits and return them safely here. Your adventure with the Mandalorian war is over, Reva Harhaara. Is that clear?"

Her face was set in a grimace as she stared down the man before her. Her eyes were like ice, her words like lightning. Her short reply was this; "My name is Revan and I take commands from no one."

With that she made an exit to compete with her entrance. Striding confidently with fire in her blood, her heart was a raging inferno of unbridled emotion that burned unchecked, leaving only destruction where it went.

"Suurik!" Revan called. The startled Jedi trotted to catch up with her master as they put the council behind them

"Yes…" her voice trembled.

"_You _will travel to Flashpoint Station and find a way to rescue the prisoners. Keep me informed. I'll meet you there, but first I have some business back on Dxun."

* * *

The Mandalorian camp lay cold and still. Aside from the smoke that rose from the ashes of ruin, the air went undisturbed. There were none left to breath it. The Dxun soil was soaked, not with the usual rain, but with blood spilt in revenge. Thunder echoed as the one who had brought this destruction walked calmly through the jungle to confront her master. The Mandalorian's actions could not go unpunished and Revan had made sure that they didn't.

Freedon Nadd's tomb was the quietest it had ever been. The gatekeeper of the Sith Lord's holocron glowed steadily, unchanged from when Revan had left him several days ago.

She slipped through the halls, her footsteps were soundless. She was absolutely soaked in passion and dripping with dark side energy, residue from the massacre she had just executed.

Her mind had been flooded with Sith teachings and racing thoughts while she wrought havoc on the Mandalorian camp. But now her mind was calm, at peace, silent, even in the chaos.

Her body glided along the floors as though she were one with the chilling air of the side chamber which held the sith holocron. There, she fell to her knees with grace, humbled before her master.

They sat in silence for a while. He studied her and she let him.

"You have returned to me with blood on your hands," he observed.

"Yes," she stated. Her heart beat quickly at the very thought, "I killed them."

She studied the floor, waiting to speak when spoken to, unsure of what to say otherwise. Anything she had to say right now was far beyond words. But even now, the gatekeeper of Freedon Nadd understood.

"Do you have…regret?" His voice echoed ominously through the emptiness.

His question filled her ears and radiated through her soul. She knew the answer almost instinctively. "No." The weight of that single word seemed so great that the floor might crack beneath it.

He announced his booming reply, "Good," in a voice that was slow and rolling so that it nearly matched the thunder in the distance. "Now rise, Revan."

She obediently followed his command.

"Go to my burial chamber," he said. "And take from it the robes of my rule. You are worthy now to don the uniform of a true Sith and my armor will protect you from things to come. Now you shall be a harbinger of the dark and no life you touch will dare to forget you."

Deep in the heart of the temple, the burial chamber lay behind heavy, elegant doors. Cold and empty, dead yet alive. That's where Revan found herself next.

Beside the sarcophagus was a strong box. She opened it. From it she pulled heavy metal armor plates and gauntlets a deep, blood red. The robe was accented with metal rings around the waist and a menacing black cloak completed the iconic ensemble. Now she was ready to truly go to war.

Clothed in the robes of her long dead master, she returned to her ship that night. Electricity seemed to jump from the cloth to her skin and made her feel positively alive. But the energy proved not enough to keep her awake for long. Her tired body begged for sleep, but before she could retire quietly to her cabin, she received a call that she had been greatly anticipating. It was from Meetra. She opened up the comm connection and the hushed, solemn voice of her apprentice filled the room.

"Master, you need to come to Flashpoint." The sad urgency of her voice instantly put Revan on edge.

"What's happened?"

Meetra sighed heavily into the com. "Can you just…come as quickly as possible?"

"I would like to know what's happened to my people, Suurik. Can you tell me that much?" she demanded rather harshly.

Quietly she replied, "They found them. By the time I got there they'd already been rescued. A lone jedi named Zayne Carrik…"

"Meetra," Revan urged. "Are they ok?"

"Yes," she stated, though she sounded uncertain.

"Then can this wait until morning?"

Silence came across the connection. Revan patiently awaited the timid reply, "You really should be here, Master."

Revan quietly sighed. It seemed that sleep would have to wait.

* * *

Revan walked sadly through the halls of the Republic ship, _"The Valliant"._ She could not believe she had allowed this to happen.

As it turns out, the twisted mandalorian scientist, Demagol, had ordered the captive Jedi to Flashpoint Station so he could experiment on them, studying their connection to the force and abilities. It was simply unacceptable. It made Revan sick and naturally only served to strengthen her hatred.

She was headed now towards the med bay of the ship which was packed with her Jedi followers as they were being tested and treated for any harmful experiments done to them. As she entered the room, her heart sank and her jaw dropped. The medical staff buzzed around the room attempting to fix up her crew. Some were worse off than others. A few of the external symptoms included hair loss, eye and skin discoloration, and open, untreated wounds. While others suffered from internal damage as they ran high fevers, suffered bone loss and even minor brain damage.

"I'm glad I got to them when I did or it could've been a lot worse." A human male appeared beside her, observing the room as she did. She scrutinized his face for a minute trying to compute who he was.

"You're the Jedi who rescued them. Zayne Carrick," she concluded.

He nodded, "Yes," and bowed slightly.

Revan stared at him, saying nothing for a while longer then slowly she turned back to the scene before her. Then she said bitterly, "They were there for three months."

"Yes," he hissed. Looking at her harshly he asked, "Where were you?"

She sighed and hung her head but did not answer his question. Noting her pained expression, he dropped the subject and did not press her further.

But amid the confusion and crowd of the med-bay, Revan suddenly noticed that someone was missing. A very important someone.

"Where is Alek? He was the one I left in charge."

Zayne nodded down the hallway. "I believe he retired to one of the rooms. Poor fellow," and something like pity came to his eyes. "He said he couldn't stand being 'poked and prodded like a nerf.' I think he got enough of that at the station." Revan somehow suppressed her guilt and horror so that it didn't show on the surface. "Anyway, he's been holed up in his room ever since, last I heard."

Revan nodded. "Thank you," and left without a second look.

All sorts of things were going through her mind as she walked briskly in the direction Carrik had indicated, but still she knew she was not even remotely prepared to see Alek again. Not now. She had no idea what she would say. What _could_ she say after all that had happened? But nothing she could do could stop it, and she would have to face him.

As she entered the ship's guest quarters, she noticed an open room. That seemed strange to her but perhaps if someone was there they could tell her where she could find her friend.

She entered unannounced for she had no patience for such formalities at this point. "Excuse me, I-" she began. A man stood with his bare back to her, his exposed skin displaying signs of torture. A smooth, bald head sat on his muscular shoulders. She had no idea who he was until he turned around. He was barely recognizable but it was undoubtedly Alek's face that turned to greet her.

All ability to speak left her then as though she had taken a hard blow to the chest. That was certainly what it felt like. His sad eyes bore into her and felt like the universe, holding everything in existence, all the pain and joy, and yet were as cold and silent as death.

Once she became self-aware again, she picked up her jaw, as politely as she could, and swallowed hard. She hated to stare but what else could she have done?

"Alek," she started over, barely able to choke out those two syllables.

He only looked back at her expectantly and now his eyes were condescending and angry instead of sad. Or perhaps it was just another kind of sadness.

"I'm sorry," was all she could find the strength to say.

"Don't bother," he spat.

"I should've come back-"

"Damn well you should have." In an explosive transformation, the sad and silent man became fury personified. "What the hell were you doing there all this time!" When she didn't speak, he continued his rant in a bitterly sarcastic tone. "Did the Mandalorians find you, realize you were a great warrior and throw you a party? Did they make you queen and did you sleep around with half of them to make cute, ruthless warrior babies?" His grievous accusations stung her heart, bringing tears to her eyes. But that did not make him stop. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed yourself because eleven of your faithful servants and I were prisoners of war for three months!"

"I sent someone to get you," was her slow and pathetic excuse.

"Well, gee, how thoughtful of you, Reva." Sarcasm flew from his tongue. "It should've been you!" he screamed.

Revan swallowed her tears, eyes fixed on the ground. For a second she doubted herself. Maybe she had made the wrong choice, but then she remembered. She raised her head slowly. Alek was fuming and harshly turned his back to her. Softly, her voice floated across the air. "I found something on Dxun."

"Yeah, no kidding," he chided, seeming unconvinced. But then he let the mystery and hush-hush tone of her voice sink in and he realized that this was something completely different than what he'd been mocking. Forgetting his anger, he grew serious and bravely turned to look her in the eye. "What did you find?"

She shrugged. "A temple, a tomb…both." A tense pause. "Of Freedon Nadd. A Sith Lord."

All the previous anger between them had been vaporized completely in a strange, unexplainable metamorphosis and now they shared an almost telepathically mutual understanding of the situation. This connection was manifested in a stare that lasted between them a long time.

Alek could see it now. Revan stood up tall and regal. She had an air about her in those dark new robes that radiated power and authority granted by something dark and sinister. Then he smiled slightly as though he knew what she would say before she said it.

"We can defeat them, Alek, the Mandalorians." She stepped closer, with tears in her eyes, and when she was only inches from him, her voice turned to a gentle whisper. "I won't let them get away with what they've done to you."

Her hand came to his cheek and with tenderness she watched him. He could not help but return the sentiment and everything came rushing back, everything they'd been through.

Softening his gaze, he brought his arms around her. When she fell into his arms, their embrace locked. In that moment, grief, regret, forgiveness and ambition swirled around them ceaselessly and spoke dangerous promises of victory.

* * *

**COMING SOON: C****HAPTER 13, REVELATION**

**The Mandalorians brutally attack Serreco and the devastation is felt across the Force as far as the planet of Cathar where Revan has lead her growing ranks of Jedi. "Captain Malak" is sent to bid on the exogorth superweapons and returns with a final warning from the Jedi Council. The Revanchists are met on Cathar by a band of Jedi sent to arrest them, but a moving vision, experienced by all, changes the tides. Revan's iconic mask is discovered in the wake of the powerful revelation and a vow to destoy the Mandalorians sets the stage for the rest of the war.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Full Chapter. Parts 1 and 2.**

* * *

Chapter 13

Revelation

Reva- 24

Alek- 26

The Mandalorian threat lingered on the edge of Serreco space and the Republic fleet was prepared to meet them in battle, but it was not the fleet the enemy was after.

Brooding beneath his menacing helmet, Mandalore the Ultimate spoke to his second in command, "This is proof of the Republic's weakness." His voice was rough, booming and harsh, much like his personality. "They believe that hiding amongst civilians will protect them. They are cowering in fear behind innocent flesh…it is disgraceful," he growled.

Glaring down at the unsuspecting Serreco, he gave the command, "Fire when ready."

Twenty-Seven nuclear warheads rained down upon the surface that day, obliterating cities, Republic troops and civilians. The war had changed drastically, and it was time the Republic quit overestimating the Mandalorian's decency and sized up their enemy for who they truly were.

* * *

_Meanwhile on Cathar…_

The tragedy at Flashpoint Station left the Revanchists broken but not beaten. With the charisma of their leader, soon their ranks began to surpass the notoriety and numbers of before.

Years prior, _this, _Cathar, had been the Mandalorian battlefield and deep in Revan's heart she felt a calling to it. It was a deep pull in her chest that she couldn't ignore. And so she went, because she knew better than to ignore the call of the force. It had gotten her so far already. She believed that perhaps on Cathar she would find the last piece of evidence, buried in the dust, which would convince the Jedi Council to intervene. She knew better now than to divide her forces. At least here she could take responsibility and defend them. They all traveled with her to Cathar.

Tromping through the forest foliage, they looked for evidence of Mandalorian aggression. So far, they'd found very unconvincing proof, mostly just destroyed villages and battle scars on the face of the planet. It had been several trying days. Revan sighed heavily and was close to giving up. But there was something on this planet that she was meant to see, and they were now headed in the right direction.

It felt like a tugging at the very depths of her soul and it had been continuous over the past few days. It felt like a compass had been spliced onto her heart.

On this particular day, however, as evening quickly accelerated to night, the feeling seemed to become a hard pounding against her ribs and steadily, a throbbing in her head. Soon, she heard blood rushing in her ears accompanied by sporadic lights flashing across her vision. At first, she stumbled because of the obstruction to her sight, but it was the weakness in her knees that ultimately brought her down.

"Alek,"she groaned as her hand went to her head. He was not far and quickly was by her side. He steadied her against himself as gravity pulled her down. "I…I feel it," she mumbled, barely able to hear herself over the sourceless booming in her ears.

"Yes," he glanced back at their followers; they all seemed to be in a similar state of disorientation, though clearly not as affected. "So do we. Hey-" A violent shudder went through her body as more of her strength fled.

"I feel it…Ahhh!"

And then she saw, as plain as day, with her eyes squeezed shut, the death of millions on Serreco. Her hand clutched at her chest as the pain and suffering of all the victims coursed through her body. She saw each and every one of them die as quickly as their bodies turned to dust. It was too much. Her blood felt like fire in her veins and her nerves were overwhelmed. The Force was merciful and granted her peace.

Her sight became nothing as quickly as the vision had come. Soothing blackness filled her mind. Alek felt her muscles lose all tension and her limbs fall limp. His knees buckled beneath her weight but he managed to cradle her in his arms as they collapsed to the ground. He struggled with the troubling vision himself, though none of the other jedi had experienced it as vividly as Revan had.

For a moment he sat there, panting heavily, attempting to manage the strong emotions evoked by the vision. He glanced back at his comrades, with his leader and lover limp in his arms.

"Is everyone all right?"

Some were leaning, heavy hearted against trees, others seemed dazed and confused while some had faces streaked with tears. But nonetheless, everyone had survived unscathed, physically anyway. Revan, on the other hand, was not at all well.

"Come on," he called, lifting himself and Revan up from the ground against the strong will of gravity. "We need to get Revan back to camp."

* * *

Revan gasped as she came to. The sudden rush of air in her lungs burned. Alek, seated beside her bed, glanced up with tired eyes. She stared deep into them, seconds passing, trying to piece together her memories.

"What happened?" she asked, still catching her breath.

"You blacked out…The vision…do you remember?"

She thought for a moment and cringed. Yes, she remembered.

"Yes…" her voice hissed.

Calling the Force to steady her emotions, she breathed in deeply then out slowly.

They didn't talk about anything else for a long time while Revan rested, but before long she could no longer take the devastation of Serreco running again and again, constantly through her mind.

She stood up, shakily at first, then walked quickly over to her personal computer. Alek follow her with his eyes.

She scanned over her messages and files, pale colors of the screen flashing across her face. She copied something onto a data card and removed it from the console. She stood there, clutching it to her chest for quite some time, seeming to meditate on its contents.

"Alek, we have to do something about the exogorth weapons," she said suddenly, turning to him.

He took one look at her and sighed. "I know."

"I can go to the-"

Alek stood just in time to catch her arm as she wobbled on her feet and nearly lost her balance. A gripping pain ran through her head. Echoes of millions of deaths still burned there, as bright as the explosion that caused them.

"_You_ are not going anywhere," Alek assured her. Together they moved her back onto the bed where she gently laid down.

She shook her head back and forth on the pillow. "No, something must be done," she protested.

Alek spoke softly. "I will go."

"Alek," she grabbed weakly at his arm. "We can't let them get ahold of those weapons…" her voice was lost in fatigue.

"I know." He leaned down and kissed her forehead as she drifted back to sleep. In the darkness, Revan heard a million heartbeats. There was a brilliant flash of light, then nothing. Her own heart pounded on, thumping loudly in her ears, only now it sounded sad and its solitude was heartbreaking.

* * *

Alek returned a few long days later. The council had made it very clear that resistance would not be tolerated. As he trudged back to Revan's base camp on Cathar, he carried with him a heavy burden.

She heard the door of her room slide open and whirled around in her seat knowing it could only be him.

"Alek," she sighed as the space between them closed in a hug.

"Hi, Reva." He lovingly stroked her hair. "It's good to be back." Sighing, he crossed the room and sank onto the bed. "It's been a long week."

Revan sat down beside him. "How are you doing? Are you ok?"

"Did you get my messages?"

She nodded.

To that he did not respond, instead he leaned heavily forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

Revan walked across the room to the counter where a bottle of strong alcohol sat. She retrieved two glasses and poured. "You did good work with the exogorth's, Alek. Thank you."

"Sure," he said half-heartedly. "They're destroyed. No one has them now…" His trailed off as his thoughts wandered elsewhere.

He continued after Revan returned and handed him a glass from which he took a sip. A pained expression came over him.

"But while I was gone, I had to go by the name 'Captain Malak' to disguise who I was. The council isn't playing around anymore, Reva. They're hunting us down."

Contemplating this, she took a long sip of her drink which was followed by an intense stare from Alek. He was waiting for her reply, even though he could tell she did not intend on giving one.

"Captain Malak, huh?" she said after a while, her relaxed tone instantly dispelling the tension in the air. "I like it. I think you should keep it."

"Heh…you think so?"

"Sure. I changed mine. You should too. It's like a fresh start for us."

She leaned into his shoulder and rested her head there. He kissed the top of her head tenderly while seriously considering what she had said. A frown creased his brow.

Cautiously, he said, "This war is changing us, Reva," in a dark and somber tone. "Not just our names, but who we are."

Revan dared not think about this long. It was true and she knew it, she just wasn't willing to admit it. Bitterly, she stood and looked down at him harshly. Though she was not that tall, her presence seemed to tower over him.

"Call me Revan."

She departed in a Sith Lord's robes and with a confident gait that he knew did not belong to her.

* * *

Revan woke up the next morning and sighed heavily. They'd been searching Cathar for weeks now and found very little to help their case against the council. And Revan was beginning to think that perhaps there was nothing there at all. She got up and prepared he forces for what would be their final patrol.

She was joined by Malak as she stepped outside. Immediately she knew that something had changed.

Abruptly, she stopped and adopted a cautious look on her face. "Do you feel that?" She said to her companion.

"What?"

It was clear he was unaffected by this mysterious force she sensed.

"The forest is…different." This offered little clarification but Malak had learned long ago to not ask questions and simply follow Revan's lead.

Their entire force of jedi was spread throughout the forest in a wide, sweeping line, following Revan. But their leader grew increasingly more wary of something she could not name and as they all saw her doubt, they too grew concerned.

Each step seemed louder than it should have been to Revan and a shapeless weight offered tense resistance as they pressed on.

Suddenly, she stopped and her whole band of followers abruptly fell up short as she signaled a halt.

"Wait."

Malak beside her gave a questioning expression. "What? What is it?"

Whatever once held her suspicious caution had evaporated now as excited revelation replaced it.

"That's it."

"What is?"

"It's what we've been looking for."

She rushed ahead without explanation, her excited feet pounding the damp ground with soft thuds.

As she took off through the forest, her followers came quickly behind, their minds questioning but mouths silent. Revan's heartbeat quickened rapidly as the excitement grew in her chest.

Closer…she rushed through the trees. Closer…ground passed below her feel. Closer…

She burst through the final barrier of foliage as if it were a finish line and slowed to a stop.

Disappointment struck her like lighting sending her heart sinking to her stomach. They'd run into a great big wall of nothing.

The ocean of Cathar stared back at her, apologizing for not being whatever it was she had been expecting.

The rest of her followers steadily emerged from the trees and were met with the same confusion.

Revan trudged down from the cliffs where the forest had released them. The sand, cool beneath the cloudy sky rushed over her boots as she trudged towards the water, shock pouring from every feature of her face.

Malak stayed close to her, waiting for some sort of explanation. But all she could say was. "I…I don't understand." The ocean wind swallowed her voice which was barely more than a breath to begin with.

She knew not why she was so upset, but tears gathered in her eyes. Wind violently pulled at her clothes as if to protest her presence. But she did nothing but stand there, sadly shaking her head in disbelief. Malak stood beside her as the others watched, waiting for something to happen.

As Malak let her revel in her disappointment, his eyes instinctively turned to the sky of churning clouds that seemed to stir up the wind and knock the water in waves upon the shore. But then, something broke from the cover of clouds to disturb the scene. A ship, headed towards them.

"Revan…" Malak broke her trance.

She turned to the captain but then followed his eyes to the ship descending. It did so quickly and the closer it got, the more her stomach sank. She knew who it was. She could feel it.

"Get everyone to stay back," she ordered him.

He quickly retreated and gathered the forces several feet behind their leader and the ship, which now hovered before her, as it landed in the shallow water.

She stood her ground, face set in determination as she drew her weapon and prepared herself. She would've been able to feel their presence the moment they had broken atmosphere had she been in a more focused state of mind and mentally kicked herself for not being prepared.

The shuttle touched down in the shallow water, sending waves out in all directions and hitting Revan with a gust of wind. She did not flinch. The ramp lowered at a seemingly agonizing pace and immediately she caught sight of a pair of boots descending the ramp, leading several other pairs. Legs, torsos and heads were revealed after that. The council had sent out the search dogs; it was Vrook Lamar. He led a group of four other highly ranked jedi onto the beach to present themselves before the lone, rebellious soldier.

"What are you doing here?" she threatened.

Lamar scoffed. "Well we didn't come here to talk about _us._ We're here to talk about _you._"

She eyed him with skepticism without relaxing her stance for a second.

Master Vrook sighed and attempted to walk past Revan. She would not let him. Her yellow blade hissed to life and threatened him before he got two steps further.

"I can see you're not open to negotiation."

"I never was," she spat through bared teeth.

"Well it doesn't really matter anyway," Lamar told her. "We're not here to negotiate; we're here to _detain_ you."

"Excuse me!" Revan had to stop her jaw from dropping in disbelief, but she could not help but laugh. "I don't think so. In case your _giant ego_ has blinded you, you are grossly outnumbered, my friend," she mocked.

"I'm afraid you will find that irrelevant," he countered. "You are outmatched."

Her eyes scanned each of the jedi in Lamar's "posy", carefully calculating each of their abilities through simple observation. Indeed, the Revanchist's were outmatched. She could only hope they would not call her bluff, but that was unlikely to happen. "I wouldn't be so quick to assume." Lamar was _almost_ convinced by the vicious look in her eyes.

He grinned at her wickedly, seeing through her lies and straight to her true concern.

"This is how this is going to work." He no longer looked into her eyes with respect, instead he stood beside her facing the followers she so adamantly defended. He eyed them as if they were a herd of nerf about to be slaughtered, measuring their worth, which he thought was not much. "You can come with us and retain your dignity or we can take you by force, ruining your reputation while you keep your poisonous pride. It's your choice. Choose wisely," he hissed. But Revan, being her relentlessly stubborn self, refused to give in. When given a choice, she would always choose the hard way. This time was no exception.

"I'm not going to dance around this, Vrook. Here's my answer; I'm not going anywhere with you. You are going to take your friends and get your sorry asses out of here without a single one of my soldiers. And don't be stupid and call all that 'authorized to use force' crap. We can take you and you know it." She was a damn good liar. When Revan set her heart to something, she would get it. Lamar leveled with her once again, meeting her fiery eyes. "I'm not going to tell you twice." Bringing her blade between her body and his, he abruptly stopped in his slow progression towards her.

"You are in _way_ over your head."

There was pity on his face. And that's what scared her.

Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, darkness raced towards them like a twisted, perversion of dawn. The adversaries both abandoned their defenses as their attentions were drawn to the strange approaching atmosphere. Day was chased unnaturally across the sky by a mysterious veil of night.

Blame instinctively passed through both of the leader's minds like lightning.

"What are you doing?" Revan questioned Lamar as her accusing eyes jumped form him to the sky.

"Me?" Lamar spat. "This isn't my work. It's obviously a dark side trick! Well, you're sorely mistaken if you think dark side sorcery will repel us, you witch."

They backed away slowly from each other, now afraid they had underestimated their opponent. And yet they could clearly see in each other's eyes that they were truthful. They were both honestly frightened. This anomaly belonged to neither of them.

Now the entire beach was engulfed in an unexplainable, artificial night. There was silence as they waited for something to happen…and something _did_ indeed happen.

Swarms of Cathar burst through the trees of the nearby woods. Screams and cries for help rose to darkened heavens. Both the Jedi and the Revanchists were stunned as Cathar raced towards them from nowhere and they wondered desperately where the hoard had come from. But soon, the Cathar's aggressors were revealed. Mandalorians rushed out from the trees, hovering above with jetpacks on their backs as they swarmed towards them like a mass of locusts.

Across the beach, light sabers illuminated creating a fantastic light show down the sand. The Cathar ran past the beach's occupants seemingly oblivious to their presence. Revan stuck out a desperate arm to stop one of them to ask what was happening but she found that her fist closed around nothing but air. They were not real. Horrified realization took her as she watched the masses of terrified, shrieking creatures be herded into the sea like cattle. She knew there was nothing she could do to help them, and it was the worst feeling she'd ever had. The jedi who had previously tensed to prepare for action, relaxed in awe and defeat. There was nothing they could do but watch the scene unfold.

The force-projections of the mandalorians rushed past their heads as they chased the last Cathar into the shallow water where the creatures stood trapped and shaking in the frigid air, anticipating their fate.

The mandalorians hovered above the heads of Revan and her jedi rivals. The head mandalorian was identifiable as Cassus Fett. Revan knew him as the primary strategist of the mandalorian war effort. Her stomach twisted with hatred as she watched on with horror while he eyed the Cathar and through the comm in his helmet said, "The ships have my permission to obliterate these beasts when ready, captain."

Revan's blood nearly boiled but there was nothing she could do.

"Wait!" a voice called from the crowd and Revan thought it was one of her own, but she was quickly proven wrong. It was a female mandalorian in blood red armor that broke off from the pack. She flew out in from of Fett and landed gracefully in the water to stand protectively in front of the Cathar. "They've already been defeated," she pleaded. "There's no need to kill those who are left."

Eerie silence fell over the whole scene and Revan's heart pounded as she anxiously watched and said a prayer for the brave, lone mandalorian.

Unlike Revan, Fett was not moved.

Harshly, he announced, "These creatures must be punished for causing our humiliation during the Sith War. If you sympathize with them, you are welcome to die with them. Fire, Commander."

"No!" Revan screamed. She rushed into the water on instinct as if she could do something to somehow change the outcome of the scene. She couldn't, of course.

The Cathar lifted up one last cry to the air as laser fire rained down on the water, the apparitions and Revan. She was able to reach the brave mandalorian girl just as she fell dead and the vision dissipated in her arms.

The vision was over but the emotion was not. Revan could not help but feel as though she'd seen herself get blown to pieces as she imagined cradling the dead mandalorian in her arms. Unstoppable tears rolled down her face and she collapsed to her knees in the water, sobbing away her sorrow.

The jedi watched in disgust at Revan's emotional display while the Revanchists looked on with sympathy, allowing themselves to feel many of the same things.

As Revan went to stand, she noticed something half-buried in the sand by her feet. She reached down and pulled it up from the water. She gasped when she found the mask of the mandalorian martyr staring her in the face.

Rage at the Mandalorians filled her heart. She was not entirely sure why, but she had instantly identified herself with the sacrificed soldier. It suddenly became dangerously personal. It was as if they had slaughtered her personally. And she was back for vengeance. She vowed that she would not stop until the Mandalorians were brought to justice for their atrocities.

She slid the mask over hear head, veiling her wrathful expression, and slowly stood, like a ghost rising from the dark water.

She turned and marched, commanding and graceful, back onto the beach, menacing in that mask. Watching her caused chills to crawl up Malak's spine.

Approaching the council's jedi with an outstretched arm, she poured the force through her fingertips. Her followers watched in amazement as the high-ranking knights were brought to kneel before her against their will. Every last one of them bowed down as if she were queen.

She too knelt with Lamar, but only to meet his eye level. She kept a firm hand gripping his shoulder tight to prove she was in charge.

"You will get back on you ship and leave her," she commanded. "Tell the council what you witnessed here and they will call off the order for my arrest. Let it be known that the Revanchists will continue their campaign against the Mandalorians, okay?" She put it too clearly, too simply and dripping with venom just to show her complete and utter disdain for Lamar and for the entire Jedi Order.

Lamar didn't answer. His face was puckered in tense resistance staring hard, trying to see the humanity in the mask's cold gaze.

Finally, Revan let her force grip fall away, allowing Lamar to break free and swat away her hand. He stood and Revan followed. In silence he shot her one last glare, turned and boarded his ship.

She watched from behind her mask as the jedi followed him onto the shuttle and it took off immediately, quickly disappearing into the distance.

Lamar returned to the council and did exactly as he had been told.

* * *

**Yay! They are now officially Revan and Malak! :D**

**COMING SOON: Chapter 14, Soaked in Starlight ****(Sounds sexy...IT IS!) **

**Revan and Malak are officially a part of the Republic fleet. Revan becomes a strategist for Admiral Karath and they are granted command of their own ship "The Redeemer". On board, they share Captain's quarters and finally take their relationship a step further. **

****Because of this chapter, this story will now be rated T (or M).****


	14. Chapter 14

**The T rating is only because of this chapter! **

**If you wish to avoid sexual themes (it's not explicit)...just skip the second half of the chapter (set apart by the first horizontal line appearing in the text). Nothing crucial happens, you won't be missing anything. Carry on :)**

* * *

Chapter 14

Soaked in Starlight

Revan- 25

Malak- 27

Admiral Saul Karath watched over his fleet as it prepared to make the jump to hyperspeed. Anxiously he tapped his fingers on the railing of the walkway overlooking the bridge. They could not depart just yet. They were still waiting on one very important passenger.

"Has the jedi arrived yet?" He spun around to face one of his captains.

"Yes, sir. She's just boarding now."

"Good. Bring her up."

The captain turned on his heels and went immediately to escort their guest. Revan made a head-turning entrance as usual. She didn't make much commotion but you could certainly tell when she entered a room. The very way she carried herself demanded attention and her billowy, black robes were elegant and impressive. The moment those doors slid back and she marched across the bridge, everyone sucked in a breath and sat up straight. Her very presence was a demand for order. As usual, captain Malak was close behind her, riding her coattails and basking in her glow.

"Admiral Saul," she nodded politely to the man she now approached. "I'm honored that we meet again."

"And I as well, Master Revan. I am delighted to be the one to inform you that you've been requested to head the team of strategists overseeing my fleet." He smiled brightly down at her. The respect between them was nearly tangible.

"Wonderful." She smiled back. "And I am equally honored to accept, admiral. I imagine we'll be staying aboard a ship under your command?"

"Yes. You are to be given command of your own _Centurion-_class battle cruiser but will remain under my direct orders so that I may easily consult you. I'd be happy to discuss the details of your arrangements with Captain Malak if you'd like to meet with my generals now to talk tactics for the upcoming assault on the Mandalorian lines."

"Yes, of course." She nodded to the admiral and then to Malak before being escorted in a quiet spectacle to the war room.

* * *

Malak had been there to meet Revan outside the war room once the meeting had concluded. She released her frustrations in a sigh.

"Once they decide to start giving me more notice on these thing, _then_ maybe I'll have a day when I don't want to rip all my hair out," she joked.

"Please don't do that. I like your hair," he told her. Malak gave her a warm, comforting smile which she returned. "Well, once you see our new ship, you'll be able to relax. Trust me. May I have the privilege of escorting you, my lady?"

She clasped onto his arm which he had offered to her. "You may, my good sir." And so, together they boarded the ship _The Redeemer, _a fully equipped battle cruiser, ready for battle and theirs to command.

After spending hours getting the orientation for their new ship, they were finally able to retire to their own quarters. Malak gave her the location of her room, the Captain's quarters, of course, and they parted ways. When Revan asked where he would be staying, however, he cryptically replied, "You'll see," and left with a grin.

Since she was now fully acquainted with her ship, it was not hard to find her room. However, she was surprised to find Malak standing at the door when she got there.

She approached him with curiosity and mild confusion. "Umm…Malak. What are you doing here?"

"This is my room," he told her happily.

"But…you told me _I_ was staying here."

"That is correct." He bowed down to meet her eye level and simply said, "_We_ are."

Her face lit up in delighted disbelief. Her eyes went from him to the door and then back to him. "No," she breathed.

He nodded and bared his shining white teeth.

"How did you manage that?" she sang through a smile.

"I asked them if the captain's quarters could accommodate two, they said yes and I said, great we'll take it."

Revan laughed joyously and had to stop herself from jumping up and down. That would be rather unbecoming for a respectable captain of a ship. But she found herself utterly unable to suppress the blush that was creeping across her face.

For so long she had known that she loved Malak and even longer that he loved her. But it was hard to get time alone even after they broke off from the Jedi Council. Now, at least she knew that no matter how bad the day would get, no matter what kind of shit she had to put up with, she would always get to sleep next to Malak and everything would be ok.

"Well, would you like to do the honors?" He motioned towards the doors. When she pressed the control pad, the locks disengaged and as the two grey doors slid apart to reveal their luxurious new home, Revan's breath was taken away.

Bright white walls with subtle grey tones shone in illuminated accent lights. The narrow entryway featured two beautiful built-in shelve, already stocked with all sorts of holobooks and nick-knacks.

At the end of the hall, Revan could see a small seating area and the edge of a huge king-sized bed as she slowly stepped towards the center of the room. But she hardly had time to notice these details as she was mesmerized by the room's most prominent feature. The entire outside wall was made of transparisteel and gave the most stunning view of the endless star-speckled void beyond. The rest of the room seemed to drown in the glory of the galaxy beyond.

"Oh, Alek," she sighed as he heart moved her eyes to tears. She was speechless. The room was perfect. They were together and all was well and good in the universe, for once in her life. The stars gazing back at her gave her comfort that this war could not possibly take _everything_ from her.

She sank into Malak's arms and he embraced her, holding her small from against his chest. They breathed in an out together, admiring the view. They both felt it. This moment was bliss.

"Look at you, my little soldier," Malak whispered into Revan's dark brown hair. "You've come so far. You're making a real difference now. You're saving lives."

"_We_, Squint," Revan corrected. "We're saving lives."

"Yes, but everything that's happened, it's because of you," he assured her, rubbing his hand along her shoulders. "You're incredible, you know that?"

She sank deeper into her lover's arms and wrapped hers righter around him. Butterflied convened in her abdomen and the feeling in her heart reminded her of afternoons they spent basking in the sun on Dantooine back when they were perfect and young and innocent. By love's great miracle, that was how she felt once more.

She turned her head to look up into his passionate grey eyes that sparkled like the stars she loved so deeply. "Well, I must be doing something right…to deserve you."

And suddenly, Malak's eyes were opened as if he'd forgotten just how beautiful she was. He'd always admired her and loved her with his whole heart, but she became something knew on this ship, in this room that they shared. Even in the glittering brilliance of the stars, she sparkled and outshone them.

He leaned in close and brushed her lips with his own.

Revan pushed herself onto her tiptoes to press her lips harder to his and the corners of her lips turned up in a smile when she felt his hands wrap around her waist to hold her against him.

There was something so pure about that kiss. Suddenly, they were no longer soldiers. They were just kids again, crazy in love and as innocent as they would ever be.

It quickly turned passionate in the heart of the moment; lips pulling at each other, hands clinging desperately as if to be saved from drowning. Begging, with every inch of their body, for the other to never leave.

They both pulled back for a moment, breathing in the warm air that occupied the small space between their lips. Revan held Malak's head to her own and bit her lip, savoring the way they tingled. To herself, she wondered what other things Malak's lips could do to her.

She released him and walked with resolve over to the couch. There she shed her outer robes and neatly hung them on the back of the seat while Malak watched with interest. She slipped out of her tunic leaving only her undergarments. Her beautiful exposed skin took on the paleness of porcelain in the white light of the stars.

She did not go to him. Instead she let him approach her with the gentle caution that he did. A strong hand slid around her bare waist and his breath on her neck gave her chills.

Letting her eyes slide closed, she leaned into his touch, the lips against the shoulders and neck.

Snaking her hand around the back of his neck, she pulled him down closer and turned her head to reach his lips as he kissed her from behind.

Malak avidly explored her soft, exposed skin and she let him, enjoying every second. But soon Revan decided to take control. Turning to face him, her graceful hands slid off the cape that he wore and went to work on the rest of his clothes until all that remained were his slacks. He lifted her up and she wrapped herself around him, their lips locked and hearts quickening. They both knew where this was going and it was heading there fast. He laid her down on the bed and thoroughly caressed her entire body with his hands and lips, tugging at her underclothes until they were most gratefully removed. He was absolutely soaked in passion. It rolled off his tongue and was left in a line along her skin.

They memorized the landscape of the other's body with their tongues and lips, rough and desperate and bruising. Finally, they removed their last remaining clothes, looked into each other's eyes and knew this was right. They were made one.

Through gasps of air and heated breath, Malak whispered to Revan beneath him, "Revan, I love you." His hips repeatedly rolled into hers causing her to gasp and moan each time. His lips ravaged her neck and chest with the same passionate repetition. The sweaty palms of her hands clung to him, riding through the pleasure and the pain.

She laughed and nearly cried at the glorious high. With sudden energy, she was motivated to take control. As she pushed up against him, Malak obediently allowed her to switch their positions. His entire body tingled at the predatory look she had in her eyes. They continued, Revan gripping Malak's shoulders as she pushed herself onto him again and again.

Sweat soaked them, shining in the pale light of the stars surrounding them, but the universe disappeared in their minds. It was just the two of them now, in the throes of passion, on a bed of stars.

* * *

While Malak slept peacefully beside her, Revan lay awake, watching her lover breath. He was perfect, she thought. She knew that she loved him with all her heart and finally she had been able to prove it. She smiled to herself.

Sitting up on the bed, she glanced over to the sitting area comprised of a bright white couch, a clear glass table and two chairs. It was placed in front of the gigantic window offering a perfect view of the stars.

She rolled off the bed and wrapped herself in a sheet before walking over to that couch and sitting down. Her breath was taken away once more at the expanse of space stretched out before her.

For a long while she sat there, marveling at the beauty of the galaxy, allowing the pure, undisturbed ocean of stars to wash over her mind. And wrapped in a warm blanket of wonder and starlight, she curled up on the couch and lay down. There she fell asleep, not in the arms of her lover, but in the lonely, cold embrace of the stars.

* * *

**I decided she hasn't called him "squint"enough and I am quite fond of that nickname...so I am trying to bring it back. **

**COMING SOON: Chapter 15**

**The mandalorian plans to invade Kasyyyk have been discovered. Revan is sent with a small army to stop them. But when they get there, they are surprised to find no invason force, only a small shuttle carrying an elite team. So what are the mandalorians looking for on Kasyyyk? **


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry it's taking me so goddamn long to freaking update this story. I really am. This chapter was a bitch though. I struggled with a lot of continuity issues for a while but I finally made it through. I hope you enjoy it. I should be more frequent with updates from now on...hopefully.  
**

**_I commend you if you are still reading this. Serriously, you should get an award. Love you, readers._ Mwah.**

* * *

Chapter 15

An Ancient Secret

Revan- 26

Malak- 28

Revan burst through the doors of the bridge, confident and ready for war.

"Approaching Kashyyyk in ten seconds, Commander."

She made the entire length of the bridge in just a few mighty strides.

Mandalorian plans had been intercepted by the Republic. They were plotting to take Kashyyyk, and of course, the Republic could not allow that to happen.

Expecting a heavy invasion force, Revan had been sent to lead the defense of the planet with nearly one third of the entire fleet.

"Prepare to meet heavy resistance," she commanded.

"Disengaging hyperdrive in three…two…"

Revan's grip tightened on the bridge railing as her whole body tensed. She stared hard out the observation deck as she anticipated meeting the enemy head on. "…one."

The planet materialized in front of them as they fell out of lightspeed.

The entire bridge sucked in a breath.

"The hell…?" Revan hissed.

There were absolutely no mandalorians ships in sight.

"Where are they? Check the scanners. Is this a trap? Someone tell me what _the hell_ is going on!" she raged.

"No ships appear on scanners, Commander."

"Impossible…" she breathed. "So this was just a diversion?!" She threw her hands up in frustration.

"Well, uh…Commander? There is _one_ small cruiser around the other side of the planet. A mandalorians vessel, big enough to carry a shuttle and a small task force."

Her face fell into a grimace and her eyes turned back to scrutinize the surface of the world below. "What the hell are they looking for?"

She assembled a small team, including Malak, Meetra and a few Republic soldiers. They deployed to the planet's surface, slipping beneath the noses of the orbiting mandalorians cruiser and landing in a village nestled close to "the Great Bridge."

There were few wookies in sight. The forest was eerily hushed, as if it were keeping some great secret. There was another shuttle nearby, no doubt belonging to the mandalorians.

"Excuse me," Revan called to a passing native who limbered along with his eyes forward and his head down. "Do you know who belongs to that ship or where they went?"

The wookie didn't speak. He held her gaze with frightened eyes and simply pointed in the direction of the lift to the forest floor.

"Thank you."

Her group followed quickly behind as she ran ahead. They were met with a shocking sight. The wookie lift operator had been shot dangerously close to the heart. He was left quivering in a puddle of his own blood.

Revan fell to her knees and looked into the wookie's pained eyes. "Who did this to you?" she asked as gently as she could while still expressing the dire nature of her situation.

He responded in shyriiwook. It translated to "the masked men."

"You two," she ordered two of the soldiers. "Take him to one of their healers and ensure he is treated. The rest of us are going down there."

She stepped onto the lift. The jedi and two remaining Republic soldiers followed her. Malak took command of the lift controls and as it began to descend, Revan donned her mandalorian mask, focusing her rage into pure, vengeful power.

"Good luck, Commander," one of the soldiers left behind said as he saluted her. She lifted her face to him but did not reply. The soldier looked into the face of that mask as it descended into the shadows and everyone knew that it was not the Revanchists who would need the luck.

Revan was pure, unchecked emotion, somehow contained beneath chilling composure. She was like a bomb waiting to go off. It inspired both fear and confidence in those who were with her on the lift as it touched down in the shadowlands. Everyone knew that if you went into a battle with Revan, you were in for a show. Tingling excitement crept up their spines imagining Revan's fury. And she got the same sensation anticipating cutting off the mandalorian's heads.

"Be ready," she told them as they began to search the forest floor. "We don't know where they are or what they're planning. They could be using stealth generators, so Meetra, Malak, be on your toes and reach out as far as you can with the force. Meetra, you watch our backs, Malak you watch the sides and I'll take point." They fell into formation, the two soldiers positioned in between the jedi, their eyes constantly shifting, their fingers ready to pull the trigger on a half-second's notice.

They stepped cautiously through the forest, each pair of eyes thoroughly scanning the trees.

Ahead, Revan could sense them: the mandalorian troops. They were just around the bend in the sloping, green forest floor.

Revan halted her team for a moment while she scoped out the area ahead with the force; The terrain, energies and position of each mandalorian. There were only five of them. _Oh this is going to be too easy._

She marched down the path with profound confidence towards the mandalorians, leading her small task force.

Before they noticed her, she plucked one of the enemy soldiers from the ground with the force, holding a crushing grip to his throat.

The mandalorians turned to face their attacker as the breath was crushed from their comrade's lungs. It took a great effort and intense concentration on Revan's part but she killed him and tossed his body away like a child would a broken toy.

"Hello, friends!" she greeted them with sarcasm dripping. They shoved their rifles in her direction but did not shoot. They knew too well that they were outmatched. All they could fight with now was threats.

"My, my, what have you found, boys?" she mocked, taking notice of the huge metallic structure they seemed to be inspecting.

"Back off, Jedi," the leader spat, threatening her with his weapon. "This is a highly volatile super-computer armed to the teeth. We wouldn't want to _accidentally_ set it to annihilate you," he hissed with an acid tongue.

They were bluffing and Revan knew it. She could see that they had no idea how to work the damn thing.

Revan scoffed, stepping up to the machine. "I'd like to see you try. Now let's see what we've _really_ got here."

"Hold it, jetii scum. This is _our_ site."

A yellow flash cut through the air and with a flick of her wrist, Revan's blade swung in a lazy flourish to deflect the blaster blot headed straight for her back without even turning around. She was not intimidated. "Oh yeah, who says? Malak, hold them."

The captain obeyed, extending both arms fully and pouring the force out through his hands to restrain the four mandalorians. The struggled but were held secure.

"I don't understand," the leader said, resisting Malak's hold in vain. "Why don't you just kill us?"

"Because I'm going to show you how easily I can accomplish what you failed to do." Revan, only half paying attention to what he was saying, pulled out a small device from her belt to begin scanning the computer. "And then I'm going to kill you."

Everyone watched intently as Revan fiddled with the computer. She hummed in contemplation several times. After a while, she got down on her knees, ripped off a panel of the outer casing and began to poke around its inner workings.

"My skies, this is _ancient!_" She exclaimed. "Huh…" She cocked her head to the side and squinted hard. "It almost looks like…" She paused, then in revelation, "Ohhh, I don't believe it."

"What is it?" Malak asked.

This hardware is not dissimilar to a holocron…why in the galaxy…" then she turned to address the mandalorians. "What the hell is this?"

"We…we don't know. We were sent to destroy it."

Approaching them, she continued. "Destroy it? Why?"

"Like I'd tell you," he spat.

Revan sighed and waved her hand lazily. She wasn't in the mood for putting up with this. Suddenly, truth spilled from the mandalorians lips. "It holds a map to a dangerous weapon."

Revan turned back to look at the computer then glanced at Malak. "A weapon, you say? Well, I'd better take a look."

She returned to the exposed panel, inspecting it closely. "It's strange. It's like a holocron but there's no holo-interface installed. Hmm…I'll see if I can whip one up to work with the computer's mainframe."

She was familiar enough with darskide holocrons, more than a jedi should be, that she felt confident she could get this ancient technology to spill its hidden secrets.

After a while, she sprang back up. "Well, that should do it." When she rose, so too did a holo-image from the depths of the computer.

"C-c-configuring interface program. R-Rendering image." Static, and then the image flickered a few times before it held steady. "Interface fully installed. Memory core access accepted. Initiating socializing interface. Awaiting instruction."

"Ha ha!" Revan cheered in success. "Now let's get down to business. What are you here for?"

"Error. Corruption. Extrapolating…This utility was built to monitor planet-wide agricultural reformation. It has since malfunctioned. It can be theorized that the super-growth of Kashyyyk's forests is a direct result."

"What?" Malak cut in. "That can't be right. These forests have been here for millennia." He said this mostly to Revan, but the computer responded.

"Malfunction occurred 241 years after last builder communication. Last builder communication 29,637 years before current Republic standard."

"30,000 years…? That's before the Republic…" Revan mumbled to herself, baffled by this extraordinary information. "This is impossible," she laughed. "Who built this installation?" she asked the interface.

"Error. Information regarding the builders of this installation has been corrupted. No evidence of such a civilization exists on the galactic record."

The whole scene fell silent, the hologram staring down at Revan with cold, lifeless eyes.

The discovery of this artifact was monumental and she gaped at it in wonder, smiling silently and shaking her head.

Turning abruptly, she approached the mandalorians now. "Well, it's been great working with you gentlemen. I believe a thanks are in order. I'd shake your hands but you seem to be a little tied up at the moment." Malak sneered. "This will be a great asset to the Republic war effort." She smiled in triumph beneath her sinister mask. "Now you said there was some kind of map here…" she returned to the interface which chimed in.

"Accessing. Yes. I have found a star map in original system memory."

"Excellent. Bring it up."

"Accessing…Activation of star map commencing."

The grove fell silent, but silence was quickly replaced by the metallic wurring of the ancient machine beside the computer coming to life. It had three long arms that folded down. They creaked and hummed as if it had been centuries since they last stretched their limbs. Perhaps it had. But when they extended their full length, a sphere rose from the center and burst out with radiating light, stars and planets in blue and yellow. And Revan's breath was taken from her lungs. It was beautiful.

"But what is its significance? What is it for?" Malak asked the mandalorians, or the holocron, anyone who would answer.

"Error. Corruption. Additional information on 'Star Map' could not be recovered."

"Alright, joke's over," Revan spat, wirling around and threatening the mandalorians. "What did you want this for?"

Still under her spell, the leader answered immediately, "There's…something out there. A weapon. Something Mandalore doesn't want anyone to see…you…you can't control it!" He choked out in warning. "It must be destroyed!"

"Silence," she hissed and he obeyed. Losing her temper, her hand wrapped around his throat in a force-grip, choking the breath from his lungs. "You mandalorians are mindless-fools. I am capable of things you have never even _dreamed._ I have shown you this by what I've done here alone, and I'll prove to you how stupid you were to underestimate the significance of this asset." When she released him, he gasped for air.

When he could speak once again, he said, "No, jedi. It is you who underestimate it. And it will _destroy_ you."

She stared at him hard from the dark slit in her mask. She determined that it was not worth the risk to believe him.

She waved a lazy hand at one of her soldiers who'd been observing the whole scene. "Make a copy of the star map…actually, copy the whole program. We're going to tear this thing apart. Well, well, looks like our time working together has come to a close. I'd say it's been a pleasure but…it really hasn't," she sneered.

Her lightsaber buzzed to life before the doomed mandalorian's eyes. "How does it feel to die knowing you've aided the Republic in its efforts to destroy you?"

"Do you expect us to beg for mercy, jedi, because we won't. Mandalorians die with honor."

The blade cut through his throat in one clean motion.

She gazed down unforgivingly at the severed head and replied, "Not on my watch."

Malak entered their room where Revan sat at the desk studying the star map from Kashyyyk. It had been weeks since its discovery and so far there had been no retaliation from the mandalorians. As far as Revan was concerned, they were unaware the Republic even had it. It was their dirty little secret.

"Hey." He approached her from behind and laid a kiss on her temple. "Found out anything good?" he asked with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She remained absorbed in the palm-sized version of the map, the glow of each pin-prick of light reflecting in her eyes. "Hmm," she replied. "Possibly. It's…hard to tell. There's so much corrupted data I can scarcely make any sense of it. There's some information that's just gone, like a loose end. Like it leads somewhere and then just drops off…" she said cryptically, then she shrugged. "I honestly don't know if I can make much of it, but here…" she pointed with a stylus in her hand and Malak leaned closer. "I've identified this planet as Malachor V and it seems to be highlighted on the map. I think this is what the mandalorians wanted to destroy."

Malak stood back, looking down at her and crossing his arms in contemplation. "Ok, so, Malachor V. What's there? I've never heard of it."

"Well…" she began slowly, cautiously. "I traveled there when we'd first entered the war a few years ago. I was scoping out Dxun and the outer rim. The entire planet has a darkside resonance that we could use to our advantage." Malak nodded, seeming intrigued. Then Revan added, "By the way, did we get those plans for the prototype weapon to Bao-Dur?"

"We did. Why?"

"Malachor V. That's where we'll build it," Revan insisted. "It has natural gravity fluxuations which the weapon can draw on. Plus, the mandalorians won't go near Malachor V. I don't know why but they don't want anything to do with that planet. It's a taboo just to set foot on the thing."

"So, we build the generator on Malachor where the mandalorians have no chance of discovering it, lure them there and use the darkside energy to fuel our attack." Revan nodded eagerly. "Are you sure our jedi forces will be ok with that? Many of them remain devoutly loyal to the Order."

"Yes, but need I remind you that a great many others have seen the truth in our ways of the intimate study of the darkside? And we will have no trouble convincing the rest after the annihilation of the mandalorians with the power of the darkside as a clear contributor to our victory."

Malak was thoroughly convinced. Of course, it didn't take much from Revan to sway the opinions of anyone in her favor. He nodded slowly in agreement, a look of contemplation across his face as he considered all the details.

"Besides," Revan said, turning back to her study. "You and I both know that one does not need to submit to the darkside in order to take advantage of its power." And indeed, this had proven true for their entire lives.

* * *

**COMING UP NEXT: CHAPTER 16, MALACHOR V.**

**Revan orchastrates the final battle of the mandalorians wars, full of daring, courage and a little help from the darkside. The Mass Shadow Generator, constructed on the surface of Malachor V, is one of the most dangerous weapons ever devised. It will ensure Republic victory, but at what price? **

**Also, Revan takes on Mandalore the Ultimate single-handedly, and becomes his confidant for a dark secret that threatens the safety of the entire galaxy.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Malachor V

Revan- 27

Malak- 29

_She had felt it's power in it's very name when it fell from the holographic lips of her sith master; Malachor V. It stirred something within her, a poisonous curiosity with which she was all too familiar. And now, approaching the planet itself, she could not deny the strange feeling of dread. There was no doubt, the darkside had consumed this planet._

_ With her boots upon the surface, her heart felt heavy and she recognized the call of the darkside. It was a sensation that haunted her dreams, something she had to fight, to resist every day. But this…every step she took on the planet increased the pull tenfold. It did not worry her at first and she kept on steadily, but before she knew it, a great shadow was upon her, a looming façade that pierced fear into her bones. Unable to deny its command, with a cry of pain and desperation she collapsed onto her knees, bowing before it, offering the reverence it so demanded. And then she gave in. She knew she could not succeed in her mission if she fought the very nature of the ground she stood upon._

_ Bending to the will of the darkside, suddenly she was at peace. _

_ She stood back up without difficulty, like a burden lifted, her heartbeat normalized, and her breath no longer came as a struggle. Almost as if hypnotized, she walked forward easily with all obstacles removed. She looked into the cold, lifeless face of the abandoned Trayus Academy and it assured her that it no longer resisted her presence. It welcomed her with open arms like she were a child once lost._

* * *

"It's been a long war."

"So it has…"

"It's near the end, I can feel it."

"Good. I should quite like it when it's just you and I again." Malak leaned over across the bed and kissed Revan's temple. It was their last night of peace before the most daring offensive the Republic has yet devised. And Revan and Malak were the bait for the trap.

Revan thought about what Malak had said carefully…_just you and I again_…

She sighed gently, a frown just barely defining her lips. "Will we go back to the Order?" she asked him.

He seemed confused. "Yes, of course. That was always the plan, wasn't it?"

Her heart fell heavy and her hope shattered. Their relationship had come so far since it was free of the oppressive rules of the order…_oh well._

"Then you and I both know that there is no great sigh of relief to be breathed."

She got the chance to see Malak's face fall in defeat before she turned on her side to face the wall and closed her eyes but did not sleep.

* * *

The Mandalorians were on their tail, close behind them in hyperspace. Just as planned. As soon as the main mandalorians fleet had Revan's ship in their sights they fell for it. The opportunity to destroy the jedi general was just too great to pass up. They took the bait. Now on a course for Malachor V, "The Redeemer" led their enemies straight into the jaws of the lion.

The Republic fleet had assembled at the planet destined to mark the end of the war and waited patiently for their jedi commander. They did not have to wait long. Reavan's ship appeared and soon after, the mandalorians, with the entirety of their fleet.

No one spoke, no one dared breath. They waited for the general's command.

"Engage," she announced cautiously and the bridge of "The Redeemer" sprung to life. Laser canons fired, bouncing from ship to ship, fighters were released to meet the enemy and the space around Malachor V quickly erupted with the chaos of battle.

"Captain, assemble the best jedi we have. I want jedi on that ship," she told Malak, gesturing to Mandalore's flagship.

"Yes, General." And Malak was off to ready the Revanchists.

"Suurik," Revan called, and Meetra promptly appeared at her side.

"Yes, General?"

"I need you to take command of the fleet. I'll be going with the jedi boarding parties to take down the mandalorians from the inside. Can you do that for me, Suurik?" A reassuring hand squeezed the younger jedi's shoulder. Revan's burning eyes conveyed all the confidence she had in the young soldier.

"I can, General. You can count on me."

Revan smiled, knowing that what Meetra said was true. She turned and began to follow after Malak before calling back to the jedi now acting as commander, "Stay close to Bao-Dur. It's your judgment call when to activate the generator."

The general disappeared in a swoosh of black cape behind the bridge doors and Meetra swallowed hard. _That_ was a great responsibility to bear.

The jedi were split into three teams to ensure they had enough forced to overwhelm the Mandalorians on board. They would infiltrate Mandalore's flagship at three strategic points while the remainder of Revan's forces took to the fighters. Once inside, the jedi would clear the way for Revan and escort her directly to Mandalore.

Revan looked out over her assembly of followers. In each and every one of them she saw what she had seen in herself several years prior; A gnawing hunger, ambition, thirst for power. This is how they had been chosen for this mission. She knew that theses acolytes would not hesitate to call on the darkside energy made available to them by the tainted planet. They would be ruthless and wrathful and merciless. She smiled slyly at this. Mandalore really had no idea what was coming for him.

As they boarded the shuttles, her blood tingled with excitement and anticipation. The force flooded her body with energy and power clawing up from beneath her skin, screaming for release. He followers looked into the mask of their leader, the symbol that had come to represent something greater, and their hearts were filled with a swelling confidence and pride.

All three shuttles arrived in tact at their drop points. But Revan knew that this was no miracle, but rather the will of the Force. The mandalorians were, however, waiting for them. The jedi burst from their metal pods and erupted into action, defending and fighting for their fearless leader.

Blaster blots flew and lightsabers flashed. Bodies were dropping before Revan even set foot on the ship. It was a slaughter but with her jedi devotees ahead of her, Revan was sufficiently protected. Malak went ahead and took her hand to assist her in navigating over the mandalorian corpses that blocked the exit of the shuttle and with all the grace of a queen, she emerged and immediately took her place behind the arc of jedi that fought viciously for her.

Revan did not once draw her blade. As they progressed through the ship, she stayed within the boundaries of her human shield, allowing herself to prepare mentally and physically for facing the leader of the mandalorians. Blood, blades, and blaster blots flashed across her vision; she was blind to it. Noise and chaos crashed around her, she heard only the silence and serenity of the force.

Occasionally, her concentration would break, distracted, only for a brief second by the fierce warrior that led the group. Malak fought with rage and fire in his veins. It inspired her, it drove her, and her blood tingled not with the force but with the thought of Malak's fury. He led her small elite group through the ship's narrow halls but it could not be mistaken that Revan was the Master, the One with the Power.

Time could not be defined in Revan's isolated world of concentration and it moved either too fast or too slow to be natural, but they arrived nonetheless at what was undoubtedly the door to Mandalore's observation deck where she had felt his presence and allowed the Force to lead them.

Revan's jedi fell into their arch formation around the door as Revan seemed to stare past it into the space beyond.

Malak broke from his place with the jedi.

"Are you ready?" he nodded to her, his face speckled with sweat and grime and flushed from combat.

She stared up at him blankly, noticing his stance as he stood beside her: tall, shoulders back, tense, ready for the kill.

Calmly she told him, "Malak, I have to do this alone," cold and without emotion.

He was far worse at hiding how he felt. His face fell. "What?"

"I need you to stay back and keep command of the jedi on board. I need someone to remain in charge while I take care of Mandalore, ok?"

He was hardly convinced, crushed even. They had always been a team, and yet whenever it came to the big things she would always leave him behind. Always. He didn't know why he had been expecting anything different.

Reluctantly and with the overwhelming sting of bitterness, he spat, "Fine," and returned to the jedi cursing under his breath.

From what he knew of her there was no denying it. For no other reason than the sake of her own pride did she want to face Mandalore alone. Pride was what drove her to push herself further than he was permitted to follow.

Revan quickly forgot about Malak and any pain she may have caused. His reaction had barely even registered with her. She was absorbed in the Force. Completely and utterly drowning in its power, soaking it up, drinking it in. She inhaled one deep breath and pushed it back out through her lips before she willed open the doors with the extension of her mind and entered.

The deck was dim and empty, save for the single dark presence she felt occupying the raised platform in front of the expanse of the observation window. The wall of transperisteel supplied a horrifically stunning view of the battle below. Revan watched and it filled her with rage. It was time to end this. As she turned her eyes towards Mandalore, the planet of Malachor itself seemed to watch on with vengeful interest and Revan knew its power was in her.

"So this is the end of the war?" She heard Mandalore chuckle darkly behind his helmet. He was not facing her, but instead was watching the battle unfold.

"Aren't you ashamed of what you've done? What you've made of the galaxy," she called out to him.

She approached him, stepping cautiously but confidently up the stairs of the platform.

His low voice seemed to growl across the space. "Mandalorians know no shame. It is one of the many things that make us superior." He turned to her now. "But I will make you rethink the very meaning of shame as I destroy you and the rest of your pathetic Republic."

Revan's blades hissed to life, one yellow and one blue blade encased her in light as she tensed like a feral dog and he brought his vibroblade in front of him. They started into the inhuman mask of the other for a long time, knowing that their adversary would die and imaging it over and over until their blood rushed with anticipation. And then, all at once, the floodgates broke and they longed to make their individual visions a reality.

Revan swiped her blade across the space between them with a roar, lunging gracefully. But, naturally, Mandalore had anticipated this and dodged, but the blue blade of her left hand swiped behind her back and caught his ankle. Of course, his armor was energy resistant. Mandalorian armor was notorious for its strength. This would be a long, hard fight.

As she spun in a smooth turn of flashing blades of light in an attempt to regain her offensive position, Mandalore's feet came up to connect with her back, sending her stumbling. Her balance was barely affected, but she was forced into the railing of the platform. She grabbed it and used her momentum to propel her body forward over the rail, her legs coming up hard to knock the blade from Mandalore's hand as he swung. Pulling herself forward, she dove over the rail and used the force to fall gracefully and land in a solid, combat-ready stance. However, there was now the separation of space between her and her enemy, with Mandalore on the high ground and her at a great disadvantage below. She glared through the visor on her mask, waiting for him to make his move. He hesitated only a second before doing so. He tapped a button on his gauntlet and with a beep she heard something activate behind her. No, two things. She spun just in time to deflect the blaster blots headed her way. Turrets.

She deflected the bolts back in the direction they came while Mandalore watched her dance. However, she quickly concluded that this would not do. Their shields were too resilient. She'd have to get up close and personal.

She went for the one to her right first. Red flashes rained down on her but she was unstoppable. Not one of them hit her. Bounding and leaping like performing some exotic dance, she maneuvered through and in between the shots, carefully making her way towards the turret. Once directly beneath it, she propelled herself upward, launching off the ground and letting the force guide her hands to exactly where she needed to grab. She clung upside down to the offensive hunk of metal, bracing her feet against the ceiling, suspended with the power of the Force. She plunged her blade directly up through its core. While that one sparked and shorted out, the other one continued to fire, though not for long. She sent her other blade spinning though the air, cleanly slicing the turret in two, before it returned obediently to her hand.

Her attention quickly returned to Mandalore who had grabbed the fearsome rifle slung across his back.

He began firing, unleashing a torrent of blaster bolts upon her. Dropping from her perch on the turret, she barely hit the ground before she was moving.

She moved with more ease than a skater on ice, gliding, dodging, and deflecting the blaster blots. Each of her movements was perfectly in time and not an inch of her body went unaccounted for. It was time to face him.

She planted her feet and with the Force she extended out in all directions. He continued to fire, desperately trying to hit her but barely shaking her flawless form. It didn't matter. He wouldn't be firing for much longer anyway.

Releasing her twin blades simultaneously, they sliced through the metal platform he stood on, propelled forward at an unbelievable speed by the power pouring from her hands.

The metal creaked and hissed as it snapped and Mandalore came tumbling down from his high ground. The wreckage clattered to the floor and she sped towards it. Mandalore managed to free his arms and drew the short blade he had strapped to his hip up to meet Revan's downward stroke. She grunted at the force of the impact and he hissed with effort.

She came at him aggressively again and again, but the energy of the blows only managed to knock Mandalore free of the wreckage. He used a forward roll, armor clattering across the floor, to escape her assault and recover his long vibroblade.

Now they were evenly matched, blades against blades, jedi and mandalorian, each hidden behind a mask, a symbol, both mandalorian but standing for vastly different causes. One for glory and one for justice, but which stood for which? Like the flurry of blades and bodies, each seemed to lose their distinctive meaning in the melee.

In the fray, Revan had not forgotten about the darkside power looming, living in the air and space around her. As they fought and struggled, Mandalore slowly grew weaker while she drew on the power of the force and grew stronger. Step after step, blow after blow, this became increasingly obvious until Mandalore was practically on his knees. He knew he was beaten and he accepted it. She was the honorable victor, and instead of feeling anger or shame, he was filled with respect for Revan.

She was a fury, a storm, the embodiment of rage and he knew it was worthy to be beaten by her. When his knees began to shake and he could scarcely draw breath, he cast aside his weapons and waited for the end. The end did not come.

Falling to his knees, he bowed before his Lord. But she simple stood and stared at him, baffled by his humility before her. Though it wasn't entirely humility. There was also bitterness and an almost sacrificial sense of worthiness.

Yes, he was rightfully beaten and it was good. She was stronger, significantly so. And he had no doubt she would be the one to succeed where he could not. When he looked at her, he knew he saw the end of the Republic.

"What are you doing?" she spat, disgusted that he lacked the honor to fight to the bitter end. Instead, it seemed, he simply gave up.

He began to laugh darkly and she snarled. With one blade pressed to his throat, she griped his helmet and tore it from his head. "What!" she screamed as she was met with his smirking face.

"You cannot stop it," he told her. "They will come."

Every muscle in her body reacted to his mysterious words with this unforeseen twist. He knew something that she didn't. This was unacceptable. The realization that she had been overlooking something, something drastic, all along drew her muscles tight across her bones. She scanned his face furiously as if hoping to find her answer there. _What the hell..._

She removed he own mask now, crouching down to look him in the eye. They had a spark of something devious. And of course any other jedi wouldn't have listened to a single word that fell from his deceitful lips. She, of course, saw the evil in him and instead of being disgusted was intrigued. She did not fight it, she succumbed.

"Who?" she growled.

His grin widened.

Meanwhile, Malak stood beyond the door clenching and unclenching his fist around his lightsaber in anxiousness. You'd think he'd be used to standing around like this, waiting for orders, waiting for Revan. But he couldn't help but feel an amplified uneasiness about him, in the air, on the ship, beyond the door.

Meetra, back on "The Redeemer", felt it too. But, unlike Malak, she knew what it meant. She looked down at the planet, at Malachor V, past the chaos of the battle, and she knew it was time to end it.

She and Bao-Dur exchanged a glance. She nodded solemnly. He hit the switch.

When Malak realized what was happening his heart felt sick and electric adrenaline shot through his veins. He grabbed at the comlink, "Meetra! No! We're still on the ship! It's too close!" But it was too late. The shadow generator was active and it was taking Mandalore's ship with it.

Revan stared into Mandalore's eyes as they dimmed, her blade plunged into his chest. It took an incredible amount of force to push the blade through his tick armor but she did it. And she liked it this way. It was slow, personal, real. And as they looked at each other, they couldn't help but feel a bitter understanding between them and they saw in each other what they knew in themselves.

But she barely had time to even consider all he'd revealed to her before she felt it. The crashing wave of gripping fear. The shadow generator. It was active and it had them in its grasp. It was pulling them down to the surface of the planet, dragging them to their deaths.

But another force, a greater one still radiated out from the planet below.

Falling to her knees beside the broken body of Mandalore, she allowed it to consume her and never before had it come so quickly, so easy, so free. She knew what was at stake and she drew it in, sucking in the power, transforming it and releasing it anew. She took hold of the ship. She grabbed it and pulled, with every fiber of her existence, with every emotion she'd ever felt, with all the passion she'd ever had. She drew on the force, fed on the evil and in turn it possessed her.

Disaster ripped through the atmosphere and the generator knew no discretion. It took Mandalorian and Republic ships alike. There was horror and awe in every eye that saw. Horror at the deadly grip of the generator as it sucked ships and soldiers in like a black hole, smashing them into the surface of Malachor V with such force the planet nearly imploded. But awe when they realized that one ship was escaping its hold. By all the laws of nature it should've been plummeting to its grave like the other ships within range. But no, this one, Mandalore's flagship, was pulling up instead of down. Fighting against the current, against the wind, and winning. It kept struggling, and slowly but surely, it broke free of the gravitational field. It was impossible.

By all rights Revan should've been exhausted. Hell, with what it took to pull a battleship from a weaponized gravity field, she should've been dead. But she wasn't. In fact, she hardly felt anything at all. She opened her eyes and rose from her knees. She'd killed Mandalore, saved an entire ship from the shadow generator and no doubt won the day and yet, all that she felt was peace. A dark, sinister kind of calmness and she stared emotionlessly out the observation deck at the destruction she'd caused.

She turned on her heels and reunited with Malak who stared at her with the same horror and awe that every soldier shared.

"What the hell was that?" he whispered to her, eyes wide.

"Let's go," she said flatly and brushed past him.

"Wait," he grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him and gripped her chin in his hand. The rim around her pupils glowed a fiery, deep red, fading, like a dwindling fire, before her irises dropped off into endless black.

"What?" she blinked and it was gone.

He doubted he was imagining things, but he let it go and said nothing, shaking his head weakly.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." She carried Mandalore's helmet beneath her arm.

Malak followed her back to the shuttle, eyeing her carefully, calculating. And he was certain, for longer than was comforting, that he was looking at a stranger. They settled into the shuttle in a tense silence. Revan's mind was elsewhere. She was thinking hard about something and Malak knew better than to disturb her.

Finally, she said to him, "He told me."

"What? What do you mean he told you?"

"Mandalore told me…why they were fighting the war."

A mysterious tone in her voice made him uneasy and the blank manor in which she was staring at nothing, brushing her fingers pensively against the helmet caused a sick feeling to spread through his heart like ink.

"I'm guessing it was not what you expected."

"No…not at all."

* * *

**COMING UP NEXT: CHAPTER 17 **

**Bearing the burden of Mandalore's dark secret, Revan and Malak hide Mandalore's mask on the ice planet Rekkiad. ****Convincing the rest of the galaxy that they are chasing the remaining mandalorian fleet to the unknown regions, they follow the trail left by "the true sith" who were believed to be extinct. What they find spells doom for the jedi, but Revan and Malak are jedi no longer. **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Harbinger

3,960 BBY

With the mandalorians destroyed, Revan and Malak had a new task ahead of them; to uncover Mandalore's motives for attacking the Republic. In his last moments he'd revealed to Revan that he was only the herald of a greater force coming: the Sith. They'd convinced him that he could rally the mandalorians and gain victory for his people. The Sith, of course, had lied. He'd told her this knowing she would travel to that sith tomb on Rekkiad where he'd experienced this revelation. He knew she would go there, learn the reality of the Sith's existence and fall under their spell. He saw her and he knew that is was _her_, not himself, whom the Sith had prophesized. So even in death he would know victory. The Republic would still come to an end. And he was right about her. He was absolutely right.

They took the mask of Mandalore to Rekkiad to hide it from the mandalorians, to deprive them of a leader, as well as to find proof of Mandalore's motives. There they found the tomb in the twin spires, right where Mandalore said it'd be. Revan had doubted him, knowing that it very well could be a trap. She was wary, as anyone rightly should've been. But she was speechless when they entered the tomb without conflict, approached the sarcophagus and opened it. It was empty, save the sith datacron inside. Revan spared a glance at Malak, his eyes expressed the same caution and disbelief that she felt. They activated it anyway.

The datacron was all the proof they needed for them to know that Mandalore had been truthful. The mandalorians were defeated, but now a greater threat loomed over the Republic. But it was not loyalty to the Republic that led the rouge jedi to action this time. This time it was the thirst for knowledge, for power. They knew the Sith could quench that thirst.

The holocron directed them towards the planet of Nathema. Without hesitation, they went.

The Redeemer made the jump to hyperspace, on a course to the unknown regions, taking with it the Revanchists, once the Republic's deliverance, now traitors to the Jedi Order. Followers blinded by loyalty, leaders blinded by power.

Nathema was a place that shook Revan and Malak to their very bones. It was empty. That's the only word that could describe it.

The Redeemer stayed in orbit while Revan and Malak went alone to travel to the surface. They had no idea that Nathema was like a poison to jedi and sith alike.

By the time their small shuttle landed, they knew it had been a mistake. Never had there been a silence so profoundly still in all of galactic history.

They left the ship and barely got two steps before Revan halted. "Malak…" she whispered weakly. Never in his life had he seen her look afraid. Now she was afraid. "Do you feel it? Do you _feel _it?" She huffed desperately as he grabbed her arm. She had begun to collapse.

"I feel it," he whispered, holding onto her tightly.

And what they felt was nothing. Nothing at all.

Nathema was a void, stripped of all life. And without life there was no force. What they felt was a part of themselves dying. A vital piece of their existence was absent here. They'd never experienced anything more_ wrong_ in their lives.

They walked the surface of the planet empty and afraid. The Force, their guide, was missing for the first time in their lives. They walked without purpose through the void, Revan never ceasing to cling to Malak's arm just to feel connected to_ something_.

They couldn't survive here. They knew they couldn't. They left without what they'd come for, returning defeated to the Redeemer, forever scarred like the planet itself. Nathema gave a new definition to silence.

The next day they sent a team of droids down, knowing the machines would not feel the effects of the husk planet. But even with only a few minutes on the surface, Revan and Malak knew something was deeply wrong.

Malak lay awake that night, his heart troubled and deeply disturbed. Revan curled up in his arms feeling weak and vulnerable and she wept.

The droids had found governmental records telling the tragic tale of Nathema. The life-shattering catastrophe had occurred during the great hyperspace war. The ruler of Nathema, a powerful sith sorcerer called Lord Vitiate, had performed a ritual whose consequences were immeasurable. He absorbed the life of every powerful sith ruler he had assembled to his palace and the rest of the planet as well, stripping it of life and therefore, the force. Nathema's existence was sick and wrong and hollow.

Knowing what they knew about the sith and the darkside, Revan and Malak knew what that kind of power could do to someone.

The files also revealed that Vitiate had been searching for a lost colony planet called Dromund Kaas. Why, it didn't say, but Revan and Malak could only guess that's where they would find the made-immortal sith lord.

After seeing Nathema, they were unsure if they wanted to continue, but they knew that they had to. They went to Dromund Kaas.

Once they arrived however, they were dedicated. It took months, months to find Lord Vitiate and infiltrate his close knit circle of insiders. He had declared himself the Sith Emperor. Undiscouraged by this, they formulated a plan to take him down. Because they had to kill him, didn't they? He had caused all this. The mandalorian wars, the sickening mutilation of the planet Nathema. Revan was not about to let someone so twisted with power survive as long as she had something to say about it.

She became utterly engrossed in her studies of the darkside on Dromund Kaas, and sometimes Malak and her soldiers worried she had lost sight of the true objective. They studied the sith teachings too, of course. It was convenient seeing as they were at the heart of the sith empire, far beyond the reaches of the Republic. It was an opportunity that could not be lost, and it would no doubt be helpful when it came to confronting the emperor. But most importantly, it was what they wanted. They had all strayed so far from the ways of the jedi, physically and mentally. And there was not a single Revanchist left who followed the path of the lightside.

Revan and Malak, posing as mercenaries, managed to get on the goodside of a personal guard of the Dark Lord. They trusted her but they were not stupid. Perhaps just a little naive. They were convinced she was being sincere in her promises to take them to him. Revan reached out with the Force whenever they spoke with her, touching the guard's heart and her mind. Revan detected no insincerity or falsehood. And though they were not new to the corruption of the darkside, they had no idea just how deep it ran on the planet Dromund Kaas.

The plan was set. The guard would take them to the emperor.

It was now, at the doors of the emperor's throne room that Revan and Malak began to question if they'd made the right choice. Could the really vanquish the Dark Lord? A powerful and presumably immortal sith lord? They had to try didn't they? But as they pushed aside the chamber doors and entered, lightsabers ignited and ready, it became evident that they would not succeed.

Revan looked at the emperor's throne, his back was turned to them, but she looked and she saw. He was not a body, he was a presence. Pure energy. He had a host of course, but that could not define him. Revan felt the echoes of Nathema resonate through the air and she shook in her boots.

"Malak, we can't take him. He's going to kill us," she told him quietly, sounding strangely calmer than she really was, not once taking her eyes off the emperor.

But it was too late. As soon as the Emperor's words crossed the silence they were lost.

"Do not be afraid." His voice could scarcely be called that, booming and quiet all at the same time, and it was heard more in their heads than otherwise. "You two came to kill me but you are not fools. Now seeing me as I am, feeling my power, you know that you cannot. That is not fear. That is intelligence. And for that I respect you."

He, in his throne, turned to face them then and they saw him. His visage, of course. The Emperor was not a thing to be seen but felt. "Enter, my students," he reassured them. "I offer you only knowledge."

Revan and Malak did not find it strange how they seemed to approach him blindly, like sheep, and all wariness they had dissipated. They progressed slowly towards him down the long bridge before his throne.

"If not to kill me," his voice came again, "you must ask yourselves, why then, are you here? The force does not lead its children down a dead-end path, hmm? You know this…"

He invited them to search their hearts but they failed to respond immediately. Their eyes never ceased to watch him as they stepped closer until they were before him. Revan found the will to reply, "Just cautious."

"Good," he hissed. "You should be. Nonetheless, I can tell you why you're here. It is because I can give you what you want."

Though Revan should've been wary, she was not. "And what is that?"

"Power."

Revan laughed despite herself. "You're going to have to do better than that. I can get power on my own. Hell, I already have power." They stood before him fully now without tension between the two parties, as if they had been acquainted a long time now. And indeed, it felt like they had.

"Yes, I know. That is one of the reasons the force led you here. You hold yourselves like jedi but you are not jedi. You envied the mandalorians." He spoke now as if he knew their whole lives. "That's why you fought them. That's why you became them. You weren't saving the Republic. You were saving yourselves. And now you will take their place."

As he stood from his throne, like a shadow rising from darkness, Revan and Malak found themselves descending to their knees, bowing before him. They didn't think about it, they just _did_, and it did not seem strange to them.

"Evidently they were too weak," he continued. "They failed in destroying the Republic, as I knew they would. But they would lead the very strongest to me. And it looks like that's you, my dear." He leaned down and placed a gnarled hand on Revan's chin to lift her face. Malak saw this and tensed. The Emperor noticed, throwing a harsh glare at the captain.

"You'll have to control your pet, I'm afraid. I can't have him biting at my ankles and getting in the way." He turned from them now to stare out the tower window that overlooked the storm-ravaged planet. "I can give you the Republic, Revan. Give it into your hands. But you must fight for the Sith, destroy the Jedi, as I have no doubt you will."

"It is true," Revan said. "We have seen the truth, the liberation, in the darkside for quite some time now. What will you have us do, Master?" And Revan couldn't figure out at what point she'd decided to call him that, but without a doubt that was what he was to them now.

"You will take the Republic, conquer it, crush it into oblivion. Rule the galaxy. This is your destiny. The one I have chosen for you. And when you die, I will come out of the shadows and assume my rightful place as Emperor. I give you the freedom to do this because that is the nature of the darkside."

"But why do you need us?" Malak questioned. "Why not just take the Republic on your own?"

"The Mandalorians did less damage than I had hoped, no thanks to you, I am sure. And my troops are not adequate for that kind of full-scale invasion at this time. But you, you have the influence, determination and the power to accomplish the task at hand. However, you must find and claim an ancient resource lost to time, hidden in forgotten memories, before the Sith can have a hope at eradicating the Republic once and for all."

"What is it?" Revan asked in awe.

"The Star Forge. Capable of producing fleets of ships at a rate unheard of. Take it. It is my gift to you, the harbingers of the coming Sith. It will be your key to victory and thus the fall of the Republic and the cowardice jedi who protect it."

"How do we find it?"

"You've already begun. The Mandalorians began the search, but you intercepted them on the planet Kashyyyk. Star maps are scattered across the galaxy. You must collect the rest and the complete map will lead you to the Star Forge's location."

"And you trust us to do this?"

_Trust you? No. I control you._

* * *

**Coming up next: Chapter 18**

**Returning from the unknown regions unannounced, Revan and Malak travel together on a private mission to collect the star maps, visiting not-so-exotic locations such as Dantooine, Tatooine, Manaan and Korriban. As they travel together in the search for knowledge just like they had once dreamed, they revel in their power, their victory, and as always, their passion for each other. (this chapter possibly rated m)**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Building an Empire

3,960-3,959 BBY

They celebrated their victories, both past and those to come, with Alderanean wine. They talked and laughed and rejoiced once they'd returned to their quarters on "the Redeemer." But after the night's festivities, they wasted no time in assuming their roles as conquerors of the galaxy.

Malak poured Revan another glass that morning as he sat at the desk with her on his lap, laughing and chattering about how they could hardly believe the task before them. However, they had no doubts whatsoever that they would accomplish it.

Revan leaned forward just far enough to reach the computer controls and activated the star map hologram from Kashyyyk. Once they looked at it again, with their newfound knowledge of what it holds, it was obvious. Those bits of information that Revan couldn't piece together were because pieces were _missing_. With what they had to go on, the only clear planet the map was pointing them to was-

"Malak, look," Revan interrupted their cheerful musings. Her eyes were wide in awe. And he saw it too. They turned to each other, longing and nostalgia bursting in their brains to show behind their eyes. "Dantooine."

Once they touched down on the surface, they knew exactly where to go. An ancient structure, not far from the jedi enclave, had captivated the minds of every youngling. Horror stories of colorful varieties and questionable sources constantly circulated the dormitories. The masters never made any attempt to put these rumors to rest, for it kept the children away from the powerful darkside presence that loomed there and the secrets that had been sealed inside for centuries.

Revan and Malak were thrilled by the fact that they would soon tame the shadow of their childhood nightmares and it would bow at their feet. The sensation of fear had been forgotten and the memory of it was sour and long faded in their minds. Now they only laughed at fear.

They left their fleet behind, on the edge of the outer rim, in order to travel alone. They were well aware of the welcome the galaxy was sure to give their heroes upon their return. They needed all the stealth they could get in order to retrieve the star maps in secret. So for now it was just the two of them, traveling the galaxy, like how they had once dreamed when they were younglings all those years ago.

The smell of the Dantooine air brought tears to Revan's eyes. She sighed happily, a broad smile on her face. "It's been too long," she said, nostalgia as she gazed across the vast planes of her childhood.

"Indeed it has."

She looked up at Malak, their eyes met and the both could see the genuine happiness in the other's eyes.

He took her by the hand and they walked together with fond memories and eager anticipation.

But when they found the ancient temple, their mood changed. It became calm, solemn. The air was crackling with darkside energy that they could feel in their bones. As they suspected, they could not simply approach the device and claim it. They had to prove themselves. And though they learned more about the star forge's origins from the ancient guardian droid, it seemed to offer more mysteries than it solved. It spoke of the builders, their infallible empire and unstoppable might attainable only with the aid of the Star Forge, the apex of their empire. And Revan and Malak knew that that same glory would soon be theirs.

Now, Revan paced before the final door standing in their way. They knew ultimately what they would choose, but the immensity of it all began to weigh down on them. The Sith Emperor, the Star Forge, was it all really true?

"The darkside is strong in this place. I can feel its power…is this wise?" Malak expressed his hesitation. "The ancient jedi sealed this archway. If we pass beyond this door we can never go back. The Order will surely banish us." Revan did not heed his words. She waved her hand and the door obeyed her will. "Are the secrets of the Star Forge really so powerful? Can its power truly be worth the risk? "

But it was too late now. They passed over the threshold and Revan's voice echoed in the stone-bound space. "You and I are too far gone to go back, Malak." And indeed, it had been a long time since they had even wanted to return to the Order.

They approached the map and it responded to them, lowering the three tall spires of its metal structure and the glowing map burst forth in a brilliant display of promise and victory.

* * *

The Tatooine air was dry and hot and just overall unpleasant. Revan wrinkled her nose when she stepped outside. They wore the grey-brown, drab clothes of the locals so as to not draw unwanted attention.

"Ugh. I can't wait to get out of these dingy rags," Revan complained.

"Yeah," Malak answered. "I bet they'd look a whole lot better on the floor of our shuttle tonight anyway."

It took Revan longer than it should have to get his meaning. When she did, she turned to him slowly, a look of genuine shock and amusement on her face. Frankly, she should've been used to this by now, but he hadn't rightly _flirted_ with her in far too long. It wasn't at all unwelcome.

He bore and utterly pleased grin, showing off his perfect white teeth and bright eyes. Revan blushed.

"C'mon," he said to her, running a hand suggestively over her back before stepping ahead.

Her face broke into a smile and she ran after him.

They took a small speeder from a hunter on the edge of town. No need to pay for it. Revan simply waved her hand and he did her bidding.

Malak drove and Revan sat behind him, clinging to his muscular form. With each passing second they could feel it getting closer, feel the profound presence of the force, and they allowed it to lead them to the mouth of the cave. It rose up over the sandy, barren landscape with a whole new presence to dominate the land.

Revan dismounted the speeder and stood in awe before the cave. They stepped inside slowly, and suddenly, it was like a wave of energy crashing over them. Ruins of what had once been a temple littered the walls and floor. It was cool and damp and _alive_.

After traveling for hours in the hot, dry desert, they used the cave to refresh themselves and meditated in the glow of the star map.

Revan peeked her eyes open after a few minutes, glancing at her companion. She sighed happily and stood up. Malak too broke his meditation to find Revan before him. She settled herself into his lap.

"I can't believe we're doing this," she said softly, running her hands along his face and down his chest. "All of it. It's insane"

He hummed in agreement, gazing at her with admiration. "The only thing that's insane is how much I love you."

She kissed him passionately then and he held her close in his arms.

And later that night they were able to prove the theory that their drab desert clothes looked better carelessly discarded on the shuttle floor.

* * *

On Manaan things were different. The air was sweet and salty with the ocean breeze in the air. And Revan and Malak figured…the star map could wait. The beautiful view of the water world inspired a particularly care-free and romantic mood.

They walked through the serene streets of Ahto city and all thoughts of the star map fled their minds. Hand-in-hand they couldn't help but feel as if the galaxy already belonged to them. And indeed it would soon.

They approached the balcony overlooking the water on the edge of the city and Revan sighed a happy sigh. Malak stood behind her, gentle hands on her waist, and he leaned down over her shoulder to kiss her cheek affectionately. She positively glowed.

"This whole adventure has made me fall even more in love with you Reva," he told her honestly. She did not even bother to correct his use of her name.

"Hmm…Really?" she grinned.

Pulling her closer he kissed her neck and whispered in her ear, "Ever since I met you I dreamed of giving you the galaxy. Every planet, every star…" Tears began to form as she listened to him. "And now I finally can. You deserve it, Revan, all of it."

Her heart swelling with love and joy. She turned around in his arms to face him, gazing into his soft, grey eyes with renewed passion.

"You're going to make such a beautiful queen of the galaxy." And by the way she kissed him then, it was evident that he was not the only one truly and deeply in love.

They decided to prolong their vacation and acquired a room in the most luxurious hotel in the city. It was in this setting, with the tall glass window overlooking the sea and the extravagantly decorative bed, which they were quick to dishevel, that they found themselves happier and more in love than they ever had been in their lives.

But their true purpose was not forgotten, for it was the source of their good spirits. They took a submersible below the water's surface to the hidden location of the star map. Revan dove for it, extracting the data from the ancient structure, and once safely back on board she ordered Malak to fire the ship's lasers at the nearby cliffs, once again obscuring the map's location to ensure their position as the sole keepers of the star map's secrets.

* * *

The last star map location was Korribban. The darkside presence there was strong and ancient and profound. The sith lords' shuttle touched down on the dusty planet in the Valley of the Dark Lords and it felt more like coming home than even Dantooine ever had.

"Can't you just see it now, Malak?" They gazed across the desert land with hope and ambition. "What better place to start our empire than the home of the ancient sith academy. We will once again bring life to this broken relic and renew the legitimacy of the Sith."

"Finally, a monument fitting for your glory, Master."

They proceeded to the tomb of Naga Sadow where they felt the strongest Force presence.

They ventured down the dark tunnel. Drip…drip…drip…they heard somewhere in the distance. A veil of mist floated across their feet. It became increasingly cold as they went forth; cold with the power of the force. This was the tomb, without a doubt. Energy prickled their skin and sent shivers through their bones. Revan ignited her lightsaber, granting them a little more light, relieving their eyes slightly as they crept along.

But the sound of the humming blade woke something in the darkness. They heard if shift, and then silence…Revan sensed it long before it pounced. She let the force flow through her and it guided her blade cleanly through the beast's neck. The head of the creature toppled to the floor with a thud.

Malak barely had time to think the creature was dead, but once he realized what had happened, he was in awe. "Oh my skies…it's a tuk'ata," he said staring at the creature's corpse. The tuk'ata were notorious hounds corrupted by sith alchemy. They were ferocious, rabid, driven wild by the darkside. Their power was incredible. And Revan had killed one without hardly a thought. Revan shrugged and continued on, but Malak watched her closely, marveling at her sheer, unchecked power.

They crept along the agonizingly long, winding tunnels, slaughtering wraids and other lurking beasts with ease. But where one tuk'ata crept, another was likely to follow.

The star map sat patiently, tucked away in the tomb, waiting to be claimed by them and only them. This was their destiny. It awakened to them instantly as soon as they entered it's chamber.

But while Revan was taken with the star map, Malak felt it. Another tuk'ata

"Rev!" He exclaimed, but in the time it took that syllable to leave his lips, the beast had pounced and it was upon her.

The constant turmoil of anger, fear, and aggression swirled within him and took control of his actions. He let out an angry scream at the beast and raised his hands. Blue strings of electricity flew at the monster. The shock forced it to detach from Revan and it snarled before charging at Malak. The sith lord didn't let it get two strides. He pumped it's grisly body full of electricity, releasing a torrent of energy, holding nothing back. Revan watched the battle of beasts play out, Malak snarling as he released his feral rage.

When the tuk'ata was dead and still on the floor, Revan looked at Malak and smiled with pride. "I don't think you have ever conjured such a dark storm before, Malak. Well done."

He had though, once before…years ago. But she had not known. She had been unconscious. Only for her could he produce so much deadly power.

They collected the star map, and left the tomb. They emerged once more into the light of day realizing the completion of their victory.

Shortly after, the jedi-turned sith, the Revanchists, were moved to the Korriban academy to continue their training while their fearless and valiant leaders prepared to take by force what was rightfully theirs.


	19. Chapter 19

**I can't remember if I edited this document or not so I apologize for errors in advance.**

* * *

Chapter 19

A Dark Power Rises

3,959 BBY

Approaching the Star Forge was smooth and easy, for a short time anyway. Malak piloted the small shuttle and Revan stood behind him taking in the sight of the most powerful weapon in the galaxy.

"Look at it Malak. Soon it shall be ours," she purred.

"And with it the galaxy." A wicked smile broke his lips and they basked in the glory of their victory, but this peaceful moment did not last long. The shuttle shook as if struck by a blow and the instruments began flashing. Over the alarms, Revan cried, "What was that?"

Malak burst to life, checking screens and warning lights, trying to stabilize the ship. "We've hit some kind of disruptor field. It figures; of course we can't just approach the Star Forge," he said, shaking his head.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"I don't think so, everything's jammed," Malak growled.

The ship jerked violently, nearly ripping Revan from her stoic stance. She grabbed the pilot's chair for support. "Is there anywhere we can land?"

"Uhhh…yes. It looks like there's a single planet in this system. I think we can make it." There was another seizure followed by persistent turbulence. "I can't guarantee it will be a smooth landing…"

"Just get us down there," Revan replied, strapping herself in to the copilot's seat.

* * *

The Sith Lords emerged from the wreckage miraculously unscathed, for the most part. But they scarcely had time to recover from the crash when they were assaulted by a band of vicious natives. The problem, however, was promptly resolved as Malak's ferocity and Revan's ingenuity were no match for the mindless violence.

Malak began to advance against them, light saber in hand, but Revan wished to make better use of their attackers.

"Malak, stop!" she commanded, and sparing no time, she forced her will into the assailant's minds. They were simple creatures and it proved an easy task, ripping from their minds the understanding of their language and instilling the comprehension of Basic. With the success of this exchange and a slight movement of persuasion, she was able to convince them to cease their attack. While Malak watched on in awe, Revan proceeded to converse with the Rakata, she speaking in Basic and they consistently responding in their cryptic tongue, but both parties fully understanding.

She told them to lead the way to "The One," their ruler. Unable to resist her power, they relented.

The procedure was the same once they reached "The One." With the simple will of the Force, she forged the understanding of Basic in his mind. And thus, she was able to communicate their problem. But it didn't matter that "The One" understood their intentions. It soon became clear that he did not possess the knowledge to help them. However, during their conversation, the presence of another sect of Rakata was revealed to be not far from the settlement.

The two tribes were rivals and "The One" insisted that he would only share further knowledge if the two Sith promised to destroy the opposing group. Revan sealing this empty promise, "The One" pointed the conquerors in the direction of "The Elders", gazing towards their camp with hatred.

It soon became obvious how primitive the Black Rakata were, and The Elders proved a far more valuable ally.

The Elders recognized the quest Revan and her companion spoke of instantly. Keenly aware of the Rakatan empire's violent and destructive past, they were hesitant to disclose any information, fearing the Sith sought to repeat the dark history of the Star Forge. They were not wrong, of course, but Revan was no stranger to deception. Deceiving the weak-minded species was not difficult, and more false promises were made. Revan wrongly assured them that she and Malak were searching for the Star Forge in order to destroy it.

Having seen no reason to distrust the dangerously charismatic "jedi", The Elders led them to the Temple of the Ancients.

* * *

Revan and Malak had not been deceived when they were told the temple was the final piece. It contained the knowledge that at last would lift the veil from their eyes and disclose its dark and ancient secrets. The Star forge was no longer an enigma it was a reality.

Found deep in the tunnels of the temple, was a store of information that was more than they could've ever hoped for.

"I am a completely self-sufficient, autonomous, interactive," the computer interface said in the old Rakatan dialect. "I was constructed by the Rakata to record and store the entire history of the species."

Revan's eyes widened at the potential information this database contained. "At last, the information we seek."

"However, since the collapse of the Empire, there have been few events worth recording. This interaction will be documented for my archives. How do you wish to be identified?"

Revan stood up tall and proud, announcing, "Darth Revan."

There was a pause. "Good. Any further interaction will be recorded. Please select the topic you wish information on."

"Tell me about the Star Forge."

"The Star Forge was constructed during the apex of the infinite Empire's power. A true technological marvel, it is an enormous space station that serves as both factory and battle dreadnaught. The Star Forge can mass produce immense fleets with a minimum of time and resources. In addition, the Star Forge also shares much of the same technology used in my own construction. In many ways the Star forge is like a living entity. It feeds, it hungers, it draws on the energy flowing thought all living things."

"The Force," Revan said as if to correct the machine.

It paused. "'The Force' now added to vocabulary." It continued. "This ability to feed and consume the living energy of 'the Force' is the key to the Star Forge's power, but ultimately it was also what led to the destruction of the Infinite Empire. The Rakata are by nature a cruel and savage species. The Star Forge fueled itself with the hatred inherent in its own creators, and in doing so accentuated these traits within the Builders. It corrupts those who use it so that it can generate greater and greater amounts of negative energy to fuel itself. The Builders thought they were strong enough to control this effect, but they were wrong. They became victims of their own creation, and eventually their hatred turned against each other. Civil war destroyed the infinite empire…a lesson to remember. Only one who is immensely strong in mind and will can harness the power of the Star Forge without suffering a similar fate."

At this point the computer seemed to be at the end of its lecture and fell silent. Revan's eyes were opened to the true nature of the Star Forge. What they had been given was a truly incredible gift, but she now saw why the mandalorians were looking to destroy any traces of it back in the wars. It was dangerous, not only to those who it was used against, but also to those who tried to control it. The power she felt from it was enough to make her wary, and they hadn't even set foot on it yet. She knew that if anyone could control it, she and Malak could, but even they had to be careful.

"This," Malak said, "could not be more perfect. The Star Forge is a tool of the dark side. We shall use its power to crush the Republic just as we used the power of Malachor V to destroy the Mandalorians." He approached her from behind and laid his hands reverently on her waist, brushing his lips against her ear. "As the keepers of the Star Forge, there shall be no doubt that we are the most powerful beings in the entire galaxy."

But Revan found no comfort in Malak's words. She gazed down into the silent computer and though it had no expression, it seemed to be warning her. _The Star Forge will destroy you…_

She expressed her caution. "I don't know if this is a good idea anymore, Malak."

His hands fell from her and he backed away in shock. "_What_?" he said, disgusted.

She turned to face him.

"You mean to tell me that after all this time, you're going to simply _give up_ this power. That's not like you, Revan."

She stared into his eyes, her yellow irises burning. "I'm saying we should listen to what the computer is telling us. The Star Forge is treacherous," she spat. "We must not let our vanity eclipse our caution. That is how one fails. We will take control of the Star Forge, but minimize its power so it has no ability to overcome us."

Malak was dumbfounded. "Do you hear yourself Revan? What's happened to you? You really think that some inanimate factory can defeat _us_? In all our power! Ha. You are a fool."

Malak's throat tightened suddenly, crushing, pressing, squeezing. The air was stolen from his lungs, taken by Revan's hand through the Force. His feet were even lifted from the ground in a bold display of her dominance.

"Watch your tongue, _boy_," she hissed with more venom than a serpent. "I am the Master. You know _nothing_ of the will of the darkside. It is passion and darkness, a juggernaut of destruction. It will stop at nothing. Even as its allies, it could turn on us at any moment should we let our guard down."

At last she released him. His feet barely hit the ground before he was on his knees gasping for the breath he so desperately needed. When he regained his composure and glanced up at her, she had turned back to the computer console, but she addressed him further. "You will never speak to me like that again, do you understand?"

The silence echoes louder than her words.

"Yes, Master."

* * *

**Coming next: Chapter 20**

**The Republic is caught completely off guard by the traitorous attacks of Darth Revan and Darth Malak. They have no hope of standing up against the mighty Sith fleet now aided by the dark power of the Star Forge. But the seeds of dissention have already been sown in Revan's own ranks as the two mighty leaders begin to contend against each other for power. Who will prove more worthy to lead the S****ith onslaught?**


	20. Chapter 20

**Wow it took me too long to post this. I apologize. My life is a mess...**

* * *

Chapter 20

Crisis

3,958 BBY

Telos IV was conquered. Not destroyed, but crushed, defeated, claimed for the Sith.

"Alright, send the occupation troops down to the surface. We're heading out," Revan commanded after the long struggle. The commands were relayed and the invasion force began its retreat. The fleet jumped to light speed, taking them back into Empire territory.

It wasn't long before she realized they were two ships short.

"Where is the Leviathan and the Reaper?" she demanded of the commander at the helm.

"Our scanners say they are still in orbit of Telos IV."

"What the bloody hell are they doing there?" Revan hissed. She opened communications with the Leviathan, Malak's command ship. "Malak, what are you doing? I ordered all ships to pull out," she said sternly.

There was no response.

"Malak, pull out of orbit and retreat to Foerost."

The comm remained silent.

Revan turned to the commander, "Their communications systems are online, aren't they?"

"Yes, general. Neither the Leviathan nor the Reaper have taken any damage and they've reported nothing. They should be receiving all communications."

"Well I'll just have to go and see for myself what kind of shabla move he's trying to pull. Tell the rest of the fleet to continue on route. We're going back."

"Yes, general."

* * *

Revan was fuming on the short trip back to Telos. Either Malak was ignoring her commands or something unforeseen had gone horribly wrong. Neither option meant anything good. When her shuttle fell out of hyperspace, however, she was met with a situation far more devastating than she had allowed herself to conceive.

Telos IV, her newly conquered planet, a valuable asset for the Sith Empire, was in ruins.

The Sith general watched on in horror as the Reaper, the battle cruiser under Saul Karath's command, opened fire on the already decimated surface below. Rage and confusion filled her, but she gave up these emotions in favor of reason.

"Fire warning shots over the Reaper. If it doesn't stop, aim for the engines," Revan commanded as calmly as she could. Over the comm she said, "Admiral Karath, if you do not stop firing I will cripple your ship." But the Reaper did not obey her. "Admiral Karath, cease firing. This is your last warning." The unauthorized barrage continued. She had no other choice. "Take them out."

The Redeemer's laser canons hit their mark dead on. Flames erupted from the Reaper. It was down but not out. In the face of this new crisis, however, it did finally cease its unwarranted attack.

Everything fell still again. Revan breathed a sigh of relief.

While dealing with this crisis, she had been all too aware of the Leviathan nonchalantly orbiting nearby, simply watching the Reaper destroy the planet without intervention. With the immediate crisis resolved, she allowed rage to fill her. She tried once again to raise the disobedient Captain.

"Malak," she huffed into the comm, "what the hell was that?" Much to her frustration there was still no answer. She was fuming. "Malak!" She screamed. What little patience she had maintained had at last run out. "Fine. If he wants to make this personal, I'll make it personal. Get me aboard the Leviathan."

* * *

Revan burst onto the bridge of Malak's ship. Behind her sinister mask you could not see her face, but her severe demeanor was enough to chill anyone's bones. Except Malak's. And there he was, as if all was well, standing tall and proud at the helm even as she stormed towards him.

"I hope that for your sake there was some tragically gross miscommunication of my orders, Malak, because this is simply unacceptable."

His stoic, unresponsive behavior alerted her that something was off about him. It was disturbing. He held himself like he was above everyone, above _her_. That only served to fuel her anger. "Need I tell you what this looks like?" she hissed.

He delivered his answer calmly and clearly, as if there was nothing amiss at all. "It is as it appears, Master."

She turned to face him, slowly, in shock. He eyes wide behind her expressionless mask. "What?"

"Your orders were plainly understood, my Lord. I ordered Admiral Karath to fire on the planet."

Revan was silenced. Dumbstruck. Shocked.

"I sensed his uncertainty and chose to test him. It was to prove his loyalty to the Sith Empire. If he failed, I would know that he must be dealt with."

"Prove his loyalty by betraying us all? _How dare you_. I will not stand for this insubordination." Her lightsabers exploded from their holsters. "You have no place to judge the loyalty of others when your own is compromised. Stand now and fight me, Malak! You will learn to bow before me."

His red blade joined hers, illuminating the dark grimace on his face.

They exploded into a whirlwind of well-practiced motions. Expertly executed choreography drew them to and fro across the bridge. He gained grown, she lost ground. She gained, he lost. It was a push and pull, the tide of animosity, the rhythms of which they both knew all too well.

"I did not expect this from you, Malak. I thought you knew better than to cross me." Her blade struck his again and again, breaking down his fortitude.

He shoved her several feel backwards with the force and regained his footing. As he began to advance, she unleashed a storm, manifest through the force, filling his body with the excruciating sting of electrocution and causing him to unleash an ungodly cry. He channeled it into pure, unyielding rage.

This was it. The final battle of wills. The inevitable uprising of the apprentice against the master. But this confrontation did not end how it was intended. For they were not simply master and apprentice. They were also something else entirely, and that something was always fated to break the rules.

In his recovery from the grip of lightening, he sent one last aborted wave of energy towards her in attempt to buy himself more time. It wasn't enough, he was too weak. She descended upon his defeated, kneeling form like a scourge in a fury, an uncontrollable rage.

In that moment she was not Revan, she had become the manifestation of the dark side.

His vision, blurred by tears of agony, was filled with red and black, occasional flashes of crimson light where her lightsaber slashed towards him.

His instinct was just barely enough to keep bringing his blade up in time to bock each thrust, but his mind did not contemplate this action. His thoughts were only on the inhuman mask that burned into his soul with its pitiless gaze, a promise that he would pay for his mistakes. And now did he see how wrong he had been.

She swung at his bowed, crumpled form again and again, breaking what little will he had left as her own surged forth triumphantly. He was done, he was defeated. But she did not stop. The dark side never stopped. It possessed her, banishing her consciousness to a place where it could not interfere.

But it all came rushing back in a roiling torrent of raw emotion when it registered in her mind where her blade had fallen.

Once again, her own eyes occupied her skull, and they were gazing out from behind the mask at Malak's broken form, his face half-gone, bathing in his own blood.

_ What have I done?_

The next thing she knew, her world, a chaotic rush, was painted over in blood. She knew of nothing that was not stained red.

The terrible wash crashed violently over her. She did not remember screaming for a medic, but she must have done. Within seconds the entire medical staff of the battle ship was on the bridge swarming around the two huddled forms of the Sith's great leaders.

Revan gazed into whatever was left of the face of her lover. It was half-gone, unrecognizable. The wound had not cauterized completely. It was messy and gruesome. Blood oozed from the terrible burns left where the skin had melted and peeled away. It was a disgusting, horrific mess bearing some vague resemblance to a face.

Revan stared deep into Malak's eyes. He was miraculously still conscious, but just barely. She could not being to conceive of his suffering. He clung to her to grasp and to feel anything that wasn't pain, but it proved worthless. Every one of his nerves was afire with such an incredible burn his whole body screamed.

The dreadful scene was accompanied by the hideous stench of gore and a nightmarish sound that was attempting to be a gasp, but got stuck as a wet sucking noise. It was Malak trying to breath.

Revan registered that she was screaming and Malak was dying and little else. Before her thoughts became clear again, Malak was ripped from her grasp and taken away by the med team. She was left to soak in the blood and raw emotion of what she had done. What she had allowed herself to do.

* * *

She had no idea how long it had been. After a while she'd stopped thinking. To numb the pain she counted how many breaths she'd taken as she sat there watching the doctors swarm around Malak like beasts around a fresh kill. This feeling was foreign to her, that of helplessness. She had felt it only once before, before she knew Malak. One moment she had been the strongest being in the universe, the next she was watching her entire existence be measured out by shallow heartbeats and uneven breaths.

How had it come to this?

Her head split in two warring halves, one bearing guilt, the other, glory.

The dark side had consumed her and told her it was right to make him bow before her. And she believed in that goal with her whole dark heart. She had been aware of her actions and truly convicted of them. But when the image of Malak on his knees, drenched in his own blood had registered in her mind, it broke her will. "Not like this. Never like this…"

She shook off the intentions of the Force in favor of her own. She no longer saw a captain guilty of insubordination; she saw a lover on his knees in pain. Because of her. And it terrified her down to her very soul just how close she had come to killing him and just how much she hadn't cared. Which conviction was right and which was wrong if they were both true? And she let this internal battle tear through her and rip her apart until she felt nothing anymore. It was what she felt she deserved.

"He is stable now. You should be able to see him," she heard a voice say. These words meant nothing and everything to her all at once. She accepted them.

"Thank you."

Revan glanced through the glass at her fallen lover. Her whole life was laid out on that operation table, struggling to survive

She turned on her heels and left, returning to her command on the Redeemer.

* * *

Hours upon immeasurable hours Revan spent in deep meditation passed. She contemplated nothing. The force occupied her to fill that empty void.

At last she called upon courage, or rather, it called upon her. She stood at her computer, leaning heavily against the desk for support.

"Malak," her voice managed to sound strong and empty over the comm. "Malak, come in," cold and clinical. Her knees shook with the emotion she knew she could not allow into her voice.

She lifted her hand to press the call once more but he stopped her.

"I'm here, master."

His voice was not his own. Rough, raw, cold, just like the metal that now synthesized his speech. It took every particle of her existence to not break down, but even the strongest Sith in the universe is not immune to everything. A single tear struggled free.

"You need to report to my quarters aboard the Redeemer as soon as you are able."

She allowed him no answer. She terminated the connection.

* * *

Her room was more silent than it had ever been while she waited for him. Then it ended abruptly when she felt his presence at the door and everything once again became chaos. But she almost had not recognized him. His existence, his impression on the Force had changed completely and fundamentally. She was not prepared for what was on the other side of the door.

The cold metal barrier slid away between them.

He stood there, no longer strong like he had once been. Now broken, beaten down, conquered. And the most excruciating change Revan found was not the harsh, metal jaw that now composed half his face; It was that the light in his soft, once loving eyes had gone out. Now, that dull grey, lying beneath that burning red of the dark side, matched so perfectly with the gruesome prosthetics, Revan could have sworn they had been forged of the same metal.

She said nothing. Neither did he. He entered.

There was silence for a long time. Lonesomeness, nostalgia hung thick in the air and intensified with each breath. But the stillness was not empty. It was occupied with memories of what had long since fled their lives. In a way, they felt that nothing had changed, and at the same time, so had everything.

He watched her as she turned from him, struggling with the millions of possibilities of what could be said in that moment. She knew that whatever it was, it could only be said once.

Malak inhaled a deep breath with his partially synthetic respiration.

"I need you to know that you don't have to say anything, Rev. It's already crossed my mind."

She choked back a sob at hearing the voice of her lover sound so foreign. She sighed at last and turned to him.

"I know…I just need you here." Her own voice was weak, feeble, like shattered glass being swept away. Suddenly, she was in his arms, and that's what broke her. She wept now, Malak had always been her weakness and hating that he did this to her only made her love him more. He held her just like he used to, as if they had not utterly and completely destroyed each other.

She sobbed into his shoulder, and only here was she not afraid to fall apart, to be weak, because she knew that with Malak she wasn't. "I need you to know that I love you…and I'm sorry."

He felt her chest heave against his own. And never had he experienced a more powerful urge than how he wanted to hold her and never let her go and to kiss her in that moment, to let her know that everything was all right. But he could not. And everything was broken.

She pulled herself away from him, wiping tears from her cheeks. "I suppose there's nothing for you to say either..." She surrendered his human comfort to return to the cold compassionlessness of the stars and gazed into the soothing deep expanse of space stretched out endlessly before her.

Malak's words, convicted yet feeble, broke through her brief meditation.

"Just that I love you, and I'm sorry."

She breathed deep, inhaling what felt like her first breath in days.

She turned back to him, her tearful gaze meeting his. "Will you stay with me?" The tremor had fled from her voice.

Malak looked at her with the confusion of a broken man. "If you want me…" How could he even think that she did.

And four words had never hurt Revan more. "Of course I want you," she choked. "I will always want you."

Closing the space between them for good, she wrapped her arms around his waist, their eyes never breaking contact, a covenant, a promise between them.

Pushing herself onto her toes, her lips tentatively brushed the space where his mouth once had been. It was colder than she had anticipated and forced down a broken sob. Exchanging her sorrow for passion, she pulled him down and kissed him as if nothing had changed. As if he could kiss her back. But he couldn't, and all he could do was hold her and beat down the mournful weight of regret that gathered deep inside him.

He remembered what it had felt like to kiss her. That was all he had now. _Remember, remember, remember,_ his mind chanted, like she would fade away forever if he didn't and it was all he could do to hold on to her.

She led him to the bed and they dared not express the reservations they both had for fear that they would become real.

They continued like they always had, falling into a half-remembered rythm. Revan kissed him like it made a difference and Malak closed his eyes and remembered. But when they broke apart and their eyes met, the way that they looked at each other now said more than anything.

There was a long, mournful pause before Revan began to move again. Her gaze stayed fixed, but her hand moved slowly south along his body, running over its familiar lines and contours. They both held their breath as if the world was about to end. She found her way beneath clothing and began to stroke him with a mind-numbing familiarity in which she took great comfort. Sighing, she leaned her body into his.

But she felt Malak's eyes on her, never breaking, an unwavering, cold, hard stare and her throat began to burn and her lip quiver.

"What?" she choked at last, unable to bear the weight of his gaze any longer. She was on the verge of tears once more. But when she looked up at him, what she saw in his eyes was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen and for that she had not been prepared. It blew away the stars, every planet and the whole entire galaxy with all that it contained. She couldn't take it, her breath was stolen from her lungs, she had to know the thoughts behind those eyes. But they were all that things that could never be said.

Malak leaned in, kissed her, and redefined passion for the rest of the galaxy.

* * *

**NEXT: CHAPTER 21**

_honestly, i haven't worked out a lot of the more important details of this chapter yet, but i can promise you some crazy shit is gonna go down. It will be a short one and I will work on it over the Christmas break and post it by January. Thanks for sticking around lovelies...we're almost through the Jedi Civil War! Chapter 22 is the moment we've all been waiting for...the betrayal!_


	21. Chapter 21

_note: In an attempt to grow her ranks, Revan is abducting jedi and attempting to convert them to the dark side. Many of them succumb to the dark at the hands of the ruthless Sith Lord, but there is one of particular interest to her that she commands Malak to capture. Now in her custody, he refuses to break, but it doesn't matter much to her._

_Chapter 21_

Fetch

3,958 BBY

_How long had it been?_

Thalin sat in silence aboard the Leviathan in what looked like some kind of meeting room. He was seated, or rather, bound to a chair at the head of a long table, staring out the huge window that opened the view into space as they drifted. Force only knew their location at this point. They had been traveling in hyperspace for some time now. Thalin could only imagine it was somewhere deep within the Sith empire.

He could feel the cold metal of his chains digging through the skin of his wrists and ankles. A throbbing pain had been growing inside his mind, a pain localized at the injury he had received from the brutal blow to his head when he'd been captured.

At last, the doors to the room hissed open to reveal his captor and Thalin felt some sense of twisted relief. Though he'd never admit his weakness, solitude was one of his greatest fears.

The one who had entered stared at Thalin. His gaze bringing a sickening chill to Thalin's heart.

He looked into Thalin's soul like he knew everything, and Thalin wasn't entirely convinced that he didn't.

This was Darth Malak, Lord of the Sith, after all.

"A the noble Thalin. What a pleasure it is to have you as the guest of honor aboard my humble ship."

"Cut the bullshit, Malak," Thalin remarked bitterly, trying to relieve the slimy sensation in which Malak's words enveloped him. "What am I here for?"

Malak seemed taken aback…or feigned it very well. "It is as I said," he stepped closer, much to Thalin's despair. "You are an honored guest. You are here because we want you to be." His voice was soft and unsettling and it didn't help that it scraped through his cybernetic jaw.

Thalin glared with burning intensity. "What are you playing at?"

He jumped when Malak sat himself down abruptly on the table directly in front of him. "Whatever game my Master wishes, Thalin," he purred.

"And what exactly is that?" Malak didn't answer. "I couldn't help but notice, this isn't a torture chamber."

Malak scoffed and slid from the table like a serpent. "If you think Darth Revan can't effectively torture in any room she chooses you are even more of a fool than I remember."

Thalin huffed. "Well, I won't talk." He said it more for his own sake than Malak's.

"Good. Your half-witted commentary is neither needed nor desired. It is rather unfit for my master's time anyway."

"Well you obviously need me for something. Why else would you capture me?"

Sickening laughter filled the room. "Oh, you are one stupid beast, aren't you?" Malak turned to face him once he had composed himself. "I brought you here for one reason and one reason only and that is simply because my master commanded it. Do you know what reasoning she gave?" A dreadful pause filled Thalin with disturbing anticipation. "For fun."

The true horror of his fate at last solidified in the very core of Thalin's existence.

He was now incredibly thankful that the Dark Lord had more to say. His voice, that had once been a deadly foreboding now became a soothing relief as it delayed his true fate. "Do you know how I got this?" Malak said, running his hand across the metal piece that constructed half of his face, his voice deadly soft. "_She _did this to me. She questioned my loyalty, so she put me in my place. She muzzled me like a rabid kathhound. But like all good pets, I respect my master. And through this she has exhibited her wisdom. She is wise not to trust me."

"That's the problem with you sith, isn't it? You're all so full of deceit and selfishness you don't even know the meaning of stability because you are all a roiling mess of chaos. So tell me, what exactly is it you expect to bring to the galaxy?"

Malak faced him fully and confidently "An age of peace."

Now it was Thalin's turn to laugh and he did so uproariously.

Malak's eyes narrowed and he sank closer. "I see you misunderstand me. We will rear a galaxy free from weakness. From pain. This is simply the purging. To reach true perfection, the galaxy must first be cleansed in fire. When our work is done, those who survive, those with true strength, will see how wrong you were."

"…or you will rule from a throne of ashes," Thalin spat.

Malak's glare intensified, driving ice deeper into Thalin's heart. But this was the end for him. He would accept it and face it nobly. There was silence filled with tension and anger and pain.

"Are you afraid of Revan?" Malak asked, his tone ringing bright like inappropriately cheerful bells.

"No," Thalin bluffed. "You may think she's special but she's not. She's just a person. There is nothing that makes her different from any other sith or jedi. And given time, she will fail."

Malak shook his head in mocking pity. "You have much to learn. Like the true meaning of fear. Don't worry. She will teach that to you." Turning from the prisoner, Malak grew immediately solemn. Gazing out the expanse of space his voice returned to Thalin in a dark, quiet rumble like thunder. "She is rage. And she will destroy you. Do you want to know how I know? Because she destroyed me." His voice had faded to a barely audible growl, and Thalin wondered if Malak had even intended for him to hear it.

Thalin breathed deeply in the darkness, savoring every breath he drew. He had been studying the sith as well as the jedi for many years now, but observing them first hand, he realized that everything he thought he knew did not apply to their twisted minds. "If you're such a loyal guard dog, why conspire against your own master. Why betray her?"

Thalin observed Malak's figure now. He looked deflated, defeated. It was utterly melancholic and nostalgic and human. It was unfitting and seemed contradictory to Malak's vehemently sinister and villainous character. "It's not something I can expect you to understand…" He said. Malak left the room.

"Are you afraid of me?" Revan asked Thalin.

Blood spurted from his lips as he attempted to use his lungs. "Y…yes," he admitted at last.

Revan sucked in a deep breath, mocking him as his lungs caved in. "Then all is as it should be." She ended his life cleanly with a quick snap of bone.

* * *

**NEXT: Chapter 22 "Betrayal" **

Malak has been conspiring against Revan for some time now, plotting a scheme to be rid of her and take over the empire as its sole ruler. He knows he is stronger than she is and with Revan on the throne, the Sith Empire will surely collapse before it can successfully establish itself. In a bold attempt to save their empire, he must assassinate his own master in order to steer it in the right direction. But their relationship has never been simply Master and Apprentice, and for once Malak must not let passion interfere with reason.


	22. Chapter 22

_Ok, lame title is super lame, i know :P also, i'm not very happy with how this chapter turned out overall. frankly i was kind of disappointed seeing as this is kind of the second most important chapter in the book . oh well. my deadline was approaching quickly so i hope it's okay, anyway..._

* * *

Chapter 22

Betrayal

3,957 BBY

On the edge of the outer rim, the Leviathan drifted in its own microcosm of peace in the midst of war. Revan and Malak sat together undisturbed by harsh matters, despite being the most troubled souls in the universe.

Revan calmly poked at the meal before her as Malak watched silently. It had been over a year since he could genuinely dine with her, but sitting down together almost every evening was a habit they could not seem to break.

Revan had only taken a few bites of what she had been told was braised nerf. However, she had a hard time believing it.

"Ugh," she sighed, scrunching her face in disgust and setting her fork down decisively. "Be glad you don't have to taste this, Alek. It's repulsive." Taking a sip of her wine to wash away the taste, her eyes met his across the table. They were bright and warm and full of something that was only present in those steely grey eyes when he looked at her.

He grinned. It was difficult to tell now that he had no lips to curl, but Revan picked up on it instinctively. "How unfortunate. Though I must point out, it is somewhat your own fault…" he said teasingly.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"If you would just listen to me and commission a specialized chef droid instead of trying to install culinary programming on a de-commissioned HK you wouldn't be in this situation, would you?"

She allowed a small chuckle. "Well I suppose you're right about that. But I don't have time to be worrying about a culinary-specialist when I've got a war on my hands," she smiled.

"We run half the galaxy, my dear. You deserve a little pampering." He winked at her and she chuckled into her wine. Malak knew she was much more inclined to deal with military matters than domestic ones. Perhaps he would just have to order her a droid on his own and surprise her. What a nice thought that would never come to be.

In the midst of their smiles and teasing, Revan's comm alerted her of an urgent message. "What is it, Captain?" she answered.

"Our scanners have detected a small jedi fleet just on the edge of our borders, General…" The voice on the other end sounded disbelieving. And he had every right to be. Jedi never dared to come out this far.

Revan and Malak exchanged a cautious glance. "What the hell are they doing all the way out here? Any idea?"

"Our recon team said it looks like they're scouting. We could easily destroy them if we summon ships from the nearby area."

"Wait…are there jedi on the enemy ships?"

"…we have reason to believe so, yes."

"Then forget the back up. I wish to engage them myself. The Sith cause could always use more converts. It would be foolish to waste a single force-user if they can be turned. I'll be on the bridge momentarily."

Malak nodded to Revan knowingly and they stood. He took his command of _the Leviathan _and she of _the Redeemer_.

The Sith moved to engage the Jedi. Bastila Shan, safely aboard one of the Republic ships, deep in meditation, did not need a commander to tell her this information; she felt it. And she too began to make her move. With hope, it would bring this wretched war to an end.

She felt the looming presence of the dark side approach in the form of two massive battle cruisers. They were large and had a lot of fire-power but they were cumbersome and hard to maneuver. The canons required a considerable charge period and they were slow to adjust trajectory. In short, they may be massive metal beasts of ships, but they were not adept for engaging fighters. That is why the Republic brought a whole fleet of them. Lying in wait, under the protection of an advanced stealth-mode, hundreds of jedi and republic fighters awaited Bastila's orders.

She gave the command. The fighters swarmed.

She sensed the confusion through the force. The panic. And she thought, for a moment, she could taste the slight metallic tang of fear. At the battle came fully underway, the force prompted her to proceed. Her eyes opened. She stood. "Bring us alongside Revan's flagship."

It was a long shot. This plan had been from the beginning. But the force flowed through her and she converted it into raw power. It produced an effect on whoever she wished. It was an exchange really. An exchange of will, of strength, of power. She drained the Sith forces and applied the syphoned energy to her own troops. She created a space all her own. The battle was hers to command. And it was already swinging in favor of the Republic. Without her uniquely trained ability of battle meditation, the small republic ship containing her tactical jedi strike team would never have made it to _the Redeemer_. It was a miracle, or rather, the Force.

As the shuttle docked, the Sith fighter reinforcements arrived. Bastila could sense that from now on they would be quickly running out of time. But she didn't need time. She only needed the Force.

The jedi burst forth and erupted into action. They cut and slashed their way through the enemy soldiers that assaulted them ruthlessly. The jedi advanced in a roiling storm of light sabers. And Bastila was at the head of the pack. Draining her enemy and feeding her own. Blood and blades flashed across her vision; she was blind to it. Noise and chaos crashed around her, she heard only the silence and serenity of the force. They descended with ease upon the bridge of the ship. Revan's last stronghold. There was only a door between the jedi and the end of the war now. And soon enough, it submitted and bowed before the power Bastila wielded so naturally.

There she was. The Dark Lord of the Sith. Covered from head to toe in flowing black robes and the sinister mask. An icon about to fall.

With darkness and light hung so precariously in the balance, Bastila's concentration was strained to its limits. But still, she pressed on. She had to.

"You cannot win, Revan," she said, she and her jedi preparing for combat.

Revan, across the bridge, in some inexplicable wave of doubt, suddenly realized that this jedi was right. She could not win. It was an unsettling feeling the likes of which she had never known.

"Sir, _the Redeemer_'s been compromised," was shouted at Malak from somewhere across the bridge of _the Leviathan_.

He stared solemnly into the vastness of space, marred by the intense struggle beyond the observation window. The words echoed in his mind_. The Redeemer's been compromised_. "…indeed she has…"

"A small team of jedi have just infiltrated Revan's flagship," he was informed.

"Shall I prepare a counter-strike team, sir?" His first officer proposed.

"None will be needed, thank you," Malak replied coolly. "Pull _the Leviathan_ back. Bring her alongside _the Redeemer_." There was tension, hesitation across the whole bridge. This couldn't be right. Could it? But they could not disobey their commander. The crew did as they were told.

Slowly, _the Leviathan_ moved through space. Towards its target. The war indeed would end today.

"Lock on targeting systems. Ready all starboard canons…"

Bastila sensed it seconds before it happened, but there was nothing she could do.

"Fire."

Heavy canon fire ripped through _the Redeemer _tearing a devastating hole through the lower decks. Explosions rocked the whole ship, harshly sending the last remaining jedi and Darth Revan hurling to the floor.

There was absolute silence aboard the Leviathan as the battle around them raged on. The crew was horrified at what they had just done. They stared in awe as fire raged through the giant metallic structure. The one built to protect their emperor. The stronghold was falling.

"…did we just commit treason, sir?" Malak's first officer dared to wonder aloud.

"No. We eliminated a very dangerous threat to the empire. Recharge canons and blow them out of the sky. That's an order," Malak spat with venom.

Slowly, the realization hit him of what he had done. He had not known that he was capable of this. He never thought he could really betray her. But in the end it had been easy.

"Once _the Redeemer _goes down, you're in charge. Return to the main battle and finish it."

With that he left the bridge, retreating to his quarters to face the horror of what he'd done.

Malak's body shook, every bone, every muscle, every cell resonated with something dark and overpowering. Guilt. _No…_

The battle beyond was finished. But the new war was inside him. A conflict that would rage within him to the end of his days. It burned like an inferno, a pain that would never cease. It had been a long time since Darth Malak wept. But he did that night. And he was afraid, for he did not know if they were tears of sadness or tears of joy. None the less, they would be the last tears he would ever shed for Revan.

It would not be inaccurate to say that the loss of Revan had left a hole in him somewhere. But the dark side quickly rushed in to fill that space with a chaotic and destructive solution of pain and passion, anger and greed.

Bastila hauled Revan's unconscious body from the crumbling ship. If her will had faltered just for an instant, she knew she would have failed. But she had not failed. She and Revan were the sole survivors of that dark day. She looked at Revan with her mask removed, staring into the face of the human behind so much pain and loss and suffering. One who had perhaps endured too much of these things herself. Bastila looked at her and felt something. Something profound and indescribable and new. She did not know why but she knew instinctively by staring at Revan's face, serene in unconsciousness, that she would protect Revan for the rest of her life. No matter what it would take from the both of them. No matter what the sacrifice.

That night the once strong Malak lay alone in his never ending anguish while Revan dreamed only of darkness and redemption.

* * *

**NEXT: Chapter 23 - New Life**

**Darth Revan is dead. Kellen Tanek stands in her place. Under the close watch of Bastila Shan, Kellen is enlisted in the Republic army and assigned to the Endar Spire. However, shortly after her transfer, the ship is attacked and Kellen is forced to evacuate to the nearby planet of Taris. On the surface she meets Carth Onasi, a fellow survivor, and together they begin the search for Bastila. **


	23. Chapter 23

_Allow me to make an apology in advance for the choppy nature of this narrative. So from now on, this story will mostly be a patchwork of occurrences and events that I feel are essential to the characters in some way. Given that I assume all of you are familiar with the plot of kotor, I will spare you my undoubtedly dry and unoriginal account of the narrative. However, the characters and their relationships from this point on still require development for my purposes. We still have a ways to go yet. But rest assured that I will spare you unnecessary detail and include only what I deem to be absolutely critical to understanding the tale I wish to spin._

_Honestly, I wish I had the time and commitment to novelize the entire thing, I really do, but this project has been my life for several years now and it's time to move on. I really love kotor and always will but I just done have the stamina to continue like this. Hopefully, the story will be finished in just a few more short chapters._

* * *

Chapter 23

New Life

3,956 BBY

She sucked a huge breath into her lungs like she had been submerged for a long time.

"Hey, woah, take it easy," a calm voice said and she recognized the blurry figure of a man standing an unclear distance away. His image seemed to shake and distort before becoming steady and she blinked a few times to clear her vision.

"Who are you?" She asked, her voice scratching painfully from her lungs like she had gargled with steel wool. She winced involuntarily, managing to pull herself up to sitting.

"I'm Carth. Don't you remember what happened?"

A strange feeling rippled through her like her body didn't know who it belonged to and what memories went where. She shook her head. It did no good jostling things into place. "No. I don't remember…"

"That blow to your head must've done more damage than I thought," he muttered. "Don't worry. It'll come back to you. It's good at least to see you up instead of thrashing around in your sleep. You must have been having one hell of a nightmare. I was wondering if you were ever going to wake up."

Kellen's breathing was still heavy and a dull throbbing began in the back of her mind. She looked around her surroundings. They were in a dim, grey room. A small apartment was her best guess. The man had brown hair with a few short ends hanging into his face. He had a bit of scruff that couldn't quite be called a beard and he wore an ugly orange jacket that Kellen squinted at for a few moments, appalled. Then she realized that she did remember…vaguely. One could scarcely hope to forget such an outfit.

"Frankly, it's not surprising your memory's off," he said. "You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for a few days. You were pretty bad coming out of that crash. I'm one of the Republic soldiers from the Endar Spire. I was with you in the escape pod. I was able to drag you away from the crash site to this old place where we've been holed up. I was just waiting for you to wake up so we can start looking for Bastila."

That name was shockingly familiar. "Bastila? That's right, the jedi. She survived?"

Carth sighed. "I pray that she did. She's the key to the whole Republic war effort."

Kellen searched her mind for anything she knew about Bastila to no avail. "Wait, she's just one jedi, right? What makes her so special?"

Carth explained Bastila's abilities. Kellen was still doubtful.

"You seem very confident that she's still alive, Carth," Kellen said. Her strength surging back into her body, she swung her legs over the edge of the cot.

"She's a young powerful force-user. If we survived the crash landing, I'm willing to bet that she may have, too. Besides, what's the alternative? I mean, if she's dead then no one can stop Malak and the Sith from wiping out the Republic and I'd rather operate on the assumption that she's still alive."

Kellen hung her head for a moment, rubbing her temple and steadying her breathing. She closed her eyes and lights flashed behind her eyelids. A few calming breathes later she felt much more grounded. "Well, do you have any leads as to where she might be?"

"I do. I was able to do some snooping around while you were out. It's not much, but it's a start. Besides, no one will be looking for a couple of common soldiers like us. If we're careful, we can move about the planet without attracting notice."

Kellen's mind was still foggy, but memories slowly began to trickle back to her. She was weak and confused and shaken but she was a soldier. These were not sensations new to her and nothing would be gained by sitting around. "Let's get to it then…" In one decisive action, she stood and, much to her and Carth's surprise did not wobble.

"Kellen," he said her name with much concern. "She's going to have the whole Sith fleet looking for her. Are you up to this?"

Kellen scoffed. This whole thing seemed ridiculous. Not the kind of thing she was equipped to deal with after recovering from a severe head injury. "Wow, you're indecisive," she spat with quite a bit of venom for one who was unconscious just several minutes prior. "One minute you detail the severity of our situation, imploring that you desperately need my help and the next you're telling me to 'rest-up'. What is with that. If you need me to be, then I'm fine."

Carth seemed slightly shocked by her unexpectedly harsh retort. _She's a firecracker, this one… _"Well, you're certainly not a morning person then. Good to know if we're going to be working together for a while," he snapped back, adding a harshness to his tone that matched hers.

Kellen was taken aback by his rudeness, despite the fact that she had perhaps been even more so. But she had the right to be. She was a recovering amnesiac. "Are you always this snappy to women you've just met?"

"No, just you, mostly."

"Well, good to know if we're going to be working together."

Kellen headed for the door with Carth at her heels.

So this was the invaluable Bastila. She stood in a crude metal cage, stripped nearly nude exhibited before the crowd as the prize she was. _What in the galaxy have I gotten myself into?_ Kellen wondered, and certainly not for the first time in that long and grueling week either. Carth got on her nerves a little more often than she would have liked, but it wasn't exactly unpleasant working with him. When her mind flashed back to his rather poor, yet admirable attempts at flirtation, she externally rolled her eyes simply to keep her pride but her heart smiled as it reminisced. But now was not the time for increasingly complicated feelings about smooth republic pilots. She was here for Bastila. And she wasn't the only one.

Bastila looked utterly pathetic and helpless in that cage, but apparently she was not. Evidently, much to Kellen's frustration, it appeared Bastila was never really "captive" in the first place. She flung open the cage with ease when it became apparent there was going to be a fight and joined the fray. Together, Kellen, and Bastila easily disposed of the rabble of thugs.

"Alright before we get to the serious matters, first things first," was the first thing Kellen said to Bastila. "If you could do that this whole time, why the bloody hell did we waste our time rescuing you?" Bastila didn't seem fond of the question as she cleverly evaded it claiming that she never in fact needed rescuing in the first place. Kellen wasn't buying it knowing just how much effort she and Carth had put into this dangerous endeavor. Needless to say, neither of them managed to make a very good first impression on the other. Mentioning Carth only gave Bastila more leeway to wiggle free of Kellen's accusations. Bastila insisted she be taken to see Carth without delay.

That night, Kellen sat on her cot and replayed in her mind the disturbing vision that stuck in her memory like a poison dart. It had reached the point where she could no longer keep it to herself and suffer alone. A dark sense of dread that she knew all too well for no identifiable reason welled up in her heart. It had only grown with this jedi joining their team.

Bastila sat on the cot beside her in complete silence. The others slept, Carth snoring in a chair in the corner of the apartment and Mission using Zalbar as a pillow, she and the wookie sprawled out on the floor. Bastila's legs were folded and her eyes were closed. The jedi was a perfect example of concentration and composure. Kellen almost felt guilty for disturbing her peace.

"Uhm...hey, Bastila." The jedi hummed to indicate she was listening. Kellen continued. "I know we rather got off on the wrong foot but...there's something I need to discuss with you." This time the jedi's eyes opened, offering her full attention when she heard the unsettling hesitation in Kellen's voice. "I had a vision shortly after we first met. It was of you..." Kellen's face grew dark, "and Revan."

"A vision? That's..." Bastila perked up with great interest, her voice bearing a curious ring. "Could it be that you are force sensitive?"

"What?" Kellen was taken aback. She wasn't as concerned with the fact that the vision had occurred. They had happened before and did not seem all that strange to her. But this time it was the content of the vision that disturbed her.

"I mean...I suppose that's not impossible, but..." Bastila continued to speculate, not seeming to share Kellen's concerns. "As soon as we get off Taris I will take you to Dantooine right away to see the masters," she concluded with finality as if the entire matter had been resolved.

"Ok but...force sensitivity aside, why did I see _that_?" Kellen questioned, determined to address her fears.

"Hmmm...One of my memories no doubt..." Bastila answered naturally.

"Sure but...what does it have to do with me?"

Bastila grew silent then, an eerie silence, like a shadow had passed over her heart. It was a subtle change, but Kellen was perceptive. Then, the next instant, it was gone.

"...the force works in mysterious ways." She shrugged. "These are questions better left to the masters. Though I appreciate you informing me of this, Kellen. Thank you. Hmm...I should meditate on this. And you should rest." It was clear Bastila no longer wished to discuss this, and as abruptly as the conversation had begun, it was terminated. The jedi returned to her business and it was clear Kellen would get nowhere nearer to understanding with her tonight.

Reluctantly, Kellen nodded, her frustration with the jedi only growing. Kellen lay down with her back facing Bastila, feeling no more at ease than before she had brought it up.

It wasn't until several exhausting days later that her questions were answered. She was indeed force sensitive; the reason for the vision. And the memory of Bastila's that she had seen was explained by a force bond the masters said was shared between Bastila and Kellen. To her surprise, the masters had agreed to train her. And despite Kellen's reluctance, Bastila was to be her mentor. Though with each passing day, Kellen found herself pleasantly surprised by the Jedi. And Bastila was not as stuck-up and conceited as she initially seemed.

They had already been on Dantooine many days, completing Kellen's training which she absorbed with remarkable speed. At times Kellen felt as if she'd learned this all before.

It was a dark, quiet night and Kellen wasn't getting much sleep as it was. She left the ebon hawk, greeting the fresh, crisp air with shiver. She wrapped her arms around herself and began walking in the direction of Bastila. She opened her heart and let the force flow through her, leading her to the one at the other end of her fate.

The force led her to one of the serenity gardens beneath the enclave. Bastila was seated in the instantly recognizable meditation position. Legs crossed, eyes closed, at peace. For a brief moment Kellen wondered if Bastila even knew she had approached. Then realized that of course she had.

Kellen sat down opposite her and entered her own state of meditation. It was not difficult finding Bastila's consciousness in the void.

"Hello, Kellen," Bastila greeted her silently, mentally.

Kellen responded in kind. Manifesting her intentions through the force rather than words and communicating them through their bond.

There was a moment of shared peace between them before Kellen proposed what was troubling her.

"I'm different aren't I," she said without speaking.

"Yes, quite," was Bastila's response. "It is rare that the council accepts a pupil your age for training."

"No, that's...not what I meant." Something deeply troubling within Kellen resonated with unresolved energy. Like a stain that could not be washed out.

"What then do you mean?" Bastila asked, concern accompanying her intent.

"I have this feeling that there's something coming, but it's coming from inside me. It's not from the force. It's something else…"

Bastila broke the meditation. "Why would you say that?" she said aloud sounding horrified that Kellen would even make such a suggestion. Kellen found her reaction concerning, since her meaning had been rather ambiguous. But it was as if Bastila knew precisely, better than her even, what she meant.

Kellen paused. "I don't know...I think there's something wrong with me," she said with finality, wishing only to end the discussion. She let her thoughts trail off. She wasn't even entirely sure what she was saying and was beginning to frighten herself as well as Bastila.

Bastila stared at her deeply with a shadow cast over her face. Kellen knew not what it was she was under such scrutiny for but she trusted Bastila, more than anyone really, and she couldn't help but feel that Bastila knew her own soul better than she did.

Bastila stood abruptly. "You should get some rest. The final day of your training begins tomorrow."

"Bastila..." Kellen caught her before she left the room completely. "Thank you. For all that you've done." She stood before her master and bowed, fully showing her gratitude and respect. Bastila smiled at her and Kellen smiled back, the curve of her lips feeling foreign. An unsettling feeling roused within her, like she had not smiled in a long time. But for the life of her she couldn't remember why.

* * *

**NEXT: Chapter 24**

"_This has all happened before._ That is what the unnamed voice within Kellen spoke to her."

As the search for the Star Forge begins, Kellen and her team retrace the steps of Revan. On each planet, Kellen learns more about the Force and herself. Even amidst the ever increasing complicity of her life, she begins to notice a rather inconvenient development in her relationship with Carth.


	24. Chapter 24

**I suck a lot. Is anyone even still reading this? good for u i love you. Anyway. This chapter is hella meh. Some Carth/Revan lovins and stuff which is cool but im not rl excited about this chapter. the next few should be interesting however and i am looking forward to writing them. Only about 3 more chapters left! Stay tuned lovelies! xoxo**

* * *

Chapter 24

The Journey

3,956 BBY

_This has all happened before. _That is what the unnamed voice within Kellen spoke to her. It started with the ruins on Dantooine. It was a profound sensation that shook her soul. At first she believed it only to be the dark side influence of the ruins and she noticed how it affected Bastilla much in the same way. They didn't discuss it, but they knew how the other was feeling. It was a silence between them that was anything but silent. It spoke volumes about something, but Kellen couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was. She could somehow tell that Bastilla knew though. And this frustrated her more than anything.

There was nothing really that could take her mind off of this. But _someone_ could.

"By stars, I am not dressed for this," Kellen complained as she dragged her feet through the hot sand, raising a hand to shield herself from the sun in vain.

"You're telling me," Carth replied with a huff, shifting along in much the same manner. He shrugged out of his pilot's jacket. Kellen watched as beads of sweat made their way down his temple.

At this point the third member of their party chose to interject. "Admonishment: You may wish to reconsider the removal of any clothing at this time. Though it will be more comfortable for you briefly, in the long run you may suffer from sun stroke and other such ailments relating to exposure to the harsh environment in which we currently find ourselves."

The pilot scoffed and Kellen rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say," Carth rebutted. "You don't have to worry about sweating to death."

"Agitated reply: I will not apologize for my superior design, however I do have environmental concerns just as you do. For example; sand is rather unfriendly for a droid as it can irritate my gears and cause malfunction…"

He continued to babble on but Carth ignored him and leaned in towards Kellen who was holding in a snicker. "Oh if only…" he whispered.

"Annoyed interruption: I heard that."

"Oh force help us can you at least send the chatterbox back to the ship?" Carth pleaded with her.

Kellen scoffed, "Why? You lookin' to get me alone, Carth?"

"Yeah right. Keep dreaming, doll."

"Oh you've increased your pet-name vocabulary. How terribly pathetic," she joked.

Nonetheless, she turned to HK and ordered him to return to Anchorhead and wait for them at the gate. He replied in a suddenly completely reasonable tone.

"And I was just beginning to enjoy how annoyed you were getting," Kellen said as they continued across the eastern dune sea.

"So you like seeing me suffer, is that it?"

Their conversation continued in such a manner, teasing and mirthful, until they reached the cave they had been seeking. Once the impressive krayt dragon had been disposed of, they welcomed the coolness of the cave with much relief.

"I feel disgusting. I can't wait to get out of these clothes," Kellen commented.

"Ha, funny, I can't wait for you to get out of them either," Carth joked, instantly regretting it.

Kellen rolled her eyes at the tasteless jest. "Oh very cute."

"You know I'm just kidding, right. I mean geeze, I'm not that tactless." Carth gave her an apologetic smile just cute enough that it was only fair to forgive him.

"Could have fooled me," she mumbled, mostly to herself as they progressed through the cave. The star map was exactly where the sand people said it would be. And this was exactly what she had seen in her vision.

They approached it. "Anyhow, flirtatious aside, do you have any idea how to work-" Before Carth could finish, Kellen stepped up to the structure and it immediately came to life. "this thing..." he trailed off, transfixed by the glowing map that burst forth and bathed them in the pale blue light of stars.

The temperature was significantly cooler deep inside the cave, nonetheless Kellen felt a wave of heat wash over her as the star map burst forth. A heat not on her skin but in her bones, her muscles. An internal glowing excitement. She looked at Carth through the holographic projection. The feeling redoubled and then faded quickly.

She felt she had lost herself in time and only Carth's voice broke her from the retreat within herself.

"Kellen, hey…" he was suddenly beside her, pressing a concerned hand to her arm. "You alright?"

She snapped back. "Yeah…I'm fine," and she sounded surprisingly so, and was able to convince both Carth and herself.

As soon as she left the cave the feeling had passed completely like a cloud in the sky and she figured it to be the same feeling she experienced in the ruins on Dantooine. But something still wasn't quite the same. And there was something about Carth that made her feel warm and safe that wasn't there before.

* * *

Darkness passed over them as the lift descended through the trees. Shadows seemed to crawl up from the surface of the planet like slimy beasts to envelop them in a cold embrace.

This peculiar mood came over Kellen. She had no idea if it was affecting the other two. Carth and Bastilla seemed uneasy, though this may have been that they couldn't know what the shadowlands had in store for them.

Kellen's two companions shared a worried glance, conveying to each other their concern for her.

"Are you alright?" Carth asked her gently.

"No," she admitted honestly with a grimace.

"What's wrong?"

Her spine shivered. "…This place…I don't know…It has a certain atmosphere that is troublesome. Do you feel it?"

"Yes." Carth lied. "Are you going to be alright?" He laid a comforting hand on her back and warmth from his skin soaked through her robe, soothing her unease.

"I will be, yes." It was her turn to lie.

"I'm here if you need me." Carth's face was soft and honest and his warm brown eyes melted Kellen's chilled heart.

"Thank you, Carth." She smiled genuinely, wanting to lean back and have him take her into his arms. But now was not the time for that. The lift steadily lowered them and soon they reached the forest floor.

…Anger swirled like mist in Kellen's heart. Her blood rushed in a fury through her veins. This place was getting to her, like acid eating past her skin and corroding her bones.

Mandalorians in the shadows, darkness, death. The three seemed to fit together so perfectly. She smelled blood before it was spilt.

She stared them down as the mandalorian leader emerged from the mist before them. She did not hesitate. She raised her palm, the Force flowing from her hand, thrust forward, and grasping the leader by the throat. The gruesome sounds of him choking echoed.

Her face was calm, eerily serene, almost doll-like. She let the Force guide her, or rather, possess her.

"Die, Jedi!" A comrade jumped towards her, pistol drawn. She deflected it. Her other hand swung out and erupted with crackling energy. Force lightning. A technique she hadn't learned. The mandalorian died with horrible screams of agony as he was fried in his suit of armor.

Bastilla drew her lightsaber, Jolee swore, Carth called out to her, but no one in their party reacted. They simply stood in awe.

As she let the two wasted corpses slump to the underbrush the two other mandalorians turned tail and ran.

"Cowardice slavers," she hissed before pursuing.

"Kellen!" Carth exclaimed, attempting to stop her. It was no use. She rushed after the fleeing mandalorians, hot on their tails. They never stood a chance. She drew her lightsaber but didn't use her favored lightsaber throw. To the horror of her allies she decided on something more intimate.

She fell upon them like a shadow. With two quick slashes their heads were separated from their bodies.

"Kellen!" Carth cried again, as he watched the gruesome display, boldly out of character for the recent Jedi recruit.

Slowly she turned her head. He had the terrible, unsettling feeling that he was not looking at Kellen.

"What?" She replied simply, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. "It was...better I take care of them, than...for us all to get involved, don't you think?" she rationalized. She approached Carth and glanced at Jolee and Bastilla who lingered behind. They all looked terribly troubled. For no reason Kellen could discern.

Later that night, Kellen stepped quietly through the Ebon Hawk. Most of the others were asleep. Canderous was still up, unsurprising, and, of course, Carth. That was whom she sought, and found in the communications bay.

She stepped up timidly to the doorway. His back was to her. She knocked cautiously.

When he turned to face her she said, "Did I do something wrong? You all seemed pretty freaked out back there."

Carth noticed the apologetic look on her face with sympathy. "No..." He replied, measuring his words carefully. "It was just...very abrupt."

Kellen approached when he invited her to sit down.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand..." She sat up straight and folded her hands in front of herself politely. "It just felt like what I had to do," she told him honestly.

"It just...took us by surprise. It didn't seem like you," Carth said softly with concern.

Kellen furrowed her brow. She was confused. She sighed when she assumed what his meaning was. "I suppose it wasn't very jedi-like of me, was it?"

"No, definitely not."

She paused and weighed what she was about to say. "Carth, I'm sorry but I don't feel like I need to justify myself to you. My actions are my own and I'm responsible for them. If I make you uneasy, I'm sorry, but I'm not some loose cannon. I'm not about to snap. I'm all here. I'm all put together," her honesty and tone were reassuring, allowing him to relax a bit. "And you have to trust me with that."

Carth let her words permeate through him, but there was something about the whole situation that he couldn't just get over. One second she was honest and innocent, the next she was dark and terrifying. The two didn't match up, and that bothered him.

"Look, Kellen, I respect you, I do, but I'm sorry I just don't trust easy. And let's be clear, I'm not accusing you of anything, but, I just worry about you sometimes." He looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping that if he was willing to understand her, she would try to understand him.

"I appreciate your concern but you don't have to. I know that you look at me like I'm some kind of freak, but...I'm always in control. I promise."

Carth shifted in his seat a bit. "Alright. I believe you Kellen. And I don't...I don't think you're a freak, give me a little more credit than that." Reacting to his lighter tone, Kellen smiled. Carth was even sure he saw her blush as she glanced down at her hands. "I mean, hell, if you want someone who knows that we all have our moments...you're talking to the right guy."

She looked up to meet his soft gaze and sucked in a breath. They hadn't really resolved anything, but she could tell they both felt better in the other's presence. That meant a world of relief for her.

He reached across the table and placed his hands on hers, letting her know he was there for her. Always.

She now felt a sense of peace that killing those mandalorians could not have provided her.

* * *

After Kashyyyk, Kellen was not the same. She was dejected and sad, and a bit of her luster had tarnished. She was not herself in an entirely different way. Carth inevitably noticed this and it was getting to him as well.

Manaan was a gorgeous planet. And it did help to restore her vitality a little bit. Calm, cool nights on the beach. Days spent in the sun to ease their souls and distract from the stress of their quest was soothing. Despite this, something here on Manaan began to wear on Kellen. She drifted around the Ebon Hawk like a ghost, with dull, sad eyes, and a dark resonance about her.

"This place...it reminds me of something I've lost," she had revealed to Carth cryptically one night, with a glazed, distant look in her eye. He didn't know what else to do at the time so he held her hand. She looked like she was about to cry.

It was good to see her meditating. Carth knew it helped her clear her mind. He hated to disturb her. "Knock, knock," he said, approaching her in the Ebon Hawk sleeping quarters.

She peacefully emerged from her connection with the Force and turned to him.

Right off the bat, he stumbled a bit. "Uh, I was...actually uhm...hoping to get you alone."

Kellen glanced around. "...We are alone..."

"Right, yeah, of course, I mean uh...I'm getting ahead of myself." He struggled to regain his poise which Kellen thought was adorable. "I was wondering, if you would join me for dinner tonight."

Kellen didn't quite know what to say. She sat and stared at him while her heart stirred in her chest. Swallowing and finding her composure she responded positively, with a smile which he happily returned.

Kellen was touched that he was worried about her, and she agreed that a night alone with him would hopefully take her mind off of all the dark things in her heart.

The restaurant belonged to a luxurious hotel in the city. Kellen was impressed that Carth had gone through the trouble of getting a private room in case they needed to discuss matters which were best kept out of the ears of the sith. The room was small but beautiful and had a balcony overlooking the ocean. Kellen felt her depression drifting away with the tide.

To Kellen's relief, they discussed only light matters, never breaking the surface of the soul. Wine, good food and good company lifted her spirits. Carth cherished her smile which he caught a glimpse of several times, and her laughter which was rarer than anything these days.

They finished their meal but were not quite ready to bid goodnight to the relaxing evening. Sipping a final glass of wine, they left the table in favor of the ocean view. Resting her elbows on the balcony Kellen sighed. "I'm sorry for the way I've been these past few days...I just feel...distant...tired." she attempted to explain, but knew she was not doing this feeling justice.

"You dont have to apologize for the way you feel," Carth assured her. He brought his hand to brush her cheek and she stared at him deeply. The look of affection on his face brought peace to her restless soul.

Turning away as if in shame, she continued. "Sometimes I retreat into myself on instinct. But it's like I'm lost. I don't know what I'm looking for," she was at a loss for phrases which would accurately describe what she was going through. Luckily, Carth demanded no clarification. He accepted her as is.

"What do you need from me?" he said softly, inching just slightly closer to make her feel safe.

She knew now that she need not hide anymore. "I don't know why…I can't explain it. But ever since we started this…since I became a jedi…I've felt…wrong. Like I'm slipping. But with you that disappears. And I can't figure out why that is but…I fell in love with that…with you."

She looked at him hopelessly, pleading for him to say anything that would comfort her. However, he didn't say anything. He knew words were meaningless in this moment. Lips spoke breathlessly against each other in a kiss, saying all that could never come out right in words. He held her face and she held his hands, each praying for the other to never let go.

They parted and she opened her eyes to meet his, shining in the bright light of the moon. A cautious smile followed.

"This is going to sound contrary to everything I just said but..." she began with a laugh. "I really like what we have between us, but I think we should put it on hold until we complete our mission."

"No…yes…I agree," Carth stumbled hurriedly. "We have to have priorities, right? …Not that you're…not more important than the rest of the galaxy…I mean…you are to me, but…you know."

Kellen nodded. "Yes. Priorities."

Despite this conclusion, their hands held firmly to each other and barely separated, reveling in the comfort of what they had found together.

* * *

**Next: Chapter 25 - Oracle**

On their way to the dark planet of Korriban, Kellen and her team are captured by the Leviathan. They encounter Darth Malak who reveals to the long lost Dark Lord her true identity.


End file.
